Isabella Cullen
by FluffStuff1991
Summary: Young girl Bella is adopted by the Cullen's when her parents are killed by a newborn vampire.As she gets older Bella notices the Cullens' lack of ageing.What happens when she asks and learns about her parents death?M for swearing and lemons later on.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok so this is my first chapter of my first fanfic. The other one on my profile was done by my friend as a little doodle.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns everything...Unfortunately**

**Spellings and grammar checked by RebeccaSaysAhh**

**Disaster**

BPOV

"Bella, sweetie, are you hungry? Do you want us to stop so we can grab something to eat?" my mother said as she turned round from the front seat of the car.

"I am a …" I began.

"Renee, we ate on the plane not an hour ago." Managing to interrupt my answer. "We'll be home in half an hour, you can feed her then," moaned my father whilst driving, wanting nothing more to get back home to his precious television.

"But Charlie," Renee sighed and turned to look at him, "there isn't enough food at home to cook her a decent dinner." Renee looked at him through her lashes as to persuade him. My mother could get my dad to do anything when she batted her eyelashes at him. They were one weakness my father had, apart from the fact that I too could do it.

Those eyelashes were one of few novelties I inherited from her; everything else was Charlie's, the chestnut brown hair with intricate curls, the chocolate eyes and round face topped with ruby red lips. One thing that came from neither of my parents was the translucent skin. But living in such a small and dreary town in the Olympic Peninsula where it rains for practically the entire year, my parents dismissed it as the lack of sun.

"Look… Renee stop with the eyelashes, it wont work" Charlie mumbled turning to look at her. "Ok…fine! When we get home I'll order pizza for us all, I swear, with the pair of you doing that, you'll both be the death of me." Charlie turned backed to the road, signalling for us to come off the freeway.

"I think that is a fair deal" Renee replied, giving him a peck on the cheek. "What do you say Bella, are you up for some pizza?"

"Sure am mum, I call first slice of the meat-feast!" I exclaimed from the back seat. "Oh, can we get a bottle of soda too?"

"Whatever you want sweetie" she said turning back to face the front.

I looked back out of my window, watching the green blur of the forest rush past us. The forest was like an endless sea of green that surrounded the small town of Forks where we lived. I didn't mind though, I lived for exploring the area around our house. I'd always find so many animals and plants that can only live in such a moist and rich place. It never ceased to amaze me.

I was so wrapped up in my own world; I didn't see that it had started to rain. It didn't bother me though; I'd lived in these showers for the eight years of my life.

It was at that moment, something large crashed into the roof. I began to scream as my father tried to pull us safely over to the side of the road. The car however had other plans and began to swerve dangerously on the road, the wet road adding to likelihood that we would crash.

All I noticed before everything went black was the strange shape of the dents in the roof. It looked like a pair of feet, as if someone had jumped onto the car while it was moving.

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**Thanks FluffStuff1991**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – The Hunt**

**EPOV**

I didn't want to be a monster, but right now, I couldn't help it. I was nearing my prey. I could see it. The big cat. Laying there amongst a pile of dead leaves. Calmly cleaning his paws from his very last meal. Little did he know that it would have been his last.

He was blissfully unaware of my presence. I was the greater predator, my prey sitting just beyond the bushes in front of me.

The thrill of the hunt started to pump adrenaline through my veins. I laughed at that. Nothing could pump through me anymore. My heart no longer beat. I was dead. Yet here I was, crouching amongst the undergrowth, eyeing up the best meal I'd had in months.

I pounced…Jumping straight onto my preys back and sinking my sharp teeth into the hollow of its neck. The poor thing hadn't even managed to let out a cry of help. The blood starting rushing down my throat, the lion slowly loosing its strength was giving up its futile efforts of trying to fight back.

Drinking the blood of a mountain lion was by far the sweetest thing I had tasted in months. The warm liquid, sliding down my throat, was like liquid gold.

If this was truly liquid gold, I ad to be the richest man on earth considering the amount I had drunk.

Finishing up I checked to see if I had made a mess of my clothes. Giving myself the all clear, I gave my hunting partner a call.

"Carlisle, are you finished?" I shouted, knowing that he would hear me.

"Yes son, I am, are you ready to head back home?" he answered and I turned to see him walking up behind me.

"Yes, shall we" I gestured to him so we could start heading back.

We started running, the pair of us at equal speed. Besides my music – which was my passion - running through the forests of Washington was by far, my favourite thing to do. The smell of the pines as I raced by them called to me and screamed "home", and it truly was. The town of Forks was the best place we had ever lived. The abundance of wildlife was another thing that drew us to the town; there was always plenty to go around.

My family always enjoyed living here. We haven't been back since the late 1930's, much to Esme's dismay, but now we had returned, and the family was once again content.

_Edward, do you smell that._ Carlisle thought, snapping me out of my reverie. He began to come to a halt.

I slowed down to a halt, just as Carlisle had and began to take in my surroundings. I inhaled deeply, taking in the scents around me. Pine, from the trees, a few deer a couple of miles away and something else. Something sweeter, something I knew to well to be deadly.

"Vampire" I said. Carlisle nodded confirming my thought.

"Alice hasn't said anything about any visitors has she?" Carlisle asked, his face trying to hide the worry.

"No, she hasn't. Which leads me to think it's either someone has been toying with her visions or they are simply passing through and they showed no concern. Do you think we should follow their scent?" I replied, knowing that my own face was beginning to show concern.

"Yes, I think we should just on be on the safe side." He said and with that we took off after the trail, both silently praying that this was just someone passing through.

**Young Vampire POV**

That smell. That delicious smell. Simply mouth-watering. I had to have it. I had to taste it.

I took off after it, running like a madman, knowing that in a few short minutes my thirst would be practically satiated. The scent was growing stronger, I could smell it more clearly. Some sort of flower, freesia perhaps. Maybe if I was patient enough, it would come to me.

I stopped just before the forest met a road. I recognised this road, it was barely used, it was the back alley instead of taking the freeway from Seattle to Forks. Nobody ever used it unless they wanted to avoid traffic. Perfect timing. This little road led down to the small town of Forks a few miles away. Perfect, that way no-one would arrive anytime soon and I would be able to have my meal in private.

I crouched down behind a small bush at the edge of the road and waited as patiently as possible. Waiting for a small car by the sounds of it to come into my view.

As I stared off towards the bend in the road, waiting for my meal I noticed that it had started to rain. _Even better_. I thought, the rain will wash away any traces of me.

So busy in y thought I failed to see the car round the corner. The scent coming from within even stronger as it passed right by my nose.

I watched as the car past me and I began my chase, keeping just inside the tree line as to not be seen.

I kept up easily with the car, managing to dodge the trees every shape and form. I began to go faster; passing the car so that the distance between us would mean I would land right on top of it and not miss and fall off.

That's when I leaped, jumping out of the confines of the forest and onto the car. The impact of my landing made two footprint shapes on the roof. _Shit_. I thought. _Maybe I'll be leaving a bit of evidence behind_.

All of this had happened in a matter of seconds. Impossibly fast for the humans inside but relatively slow for me.

As the car began to swerve due to the shock of the impact. I heard the strangled screams of the three humans inside. One male and two females judging by the sound of it, a family, desperate for their ordeal to end and walk out alive. How delicious, if only they knew.

The car swerved and hit a pot-hole in the road, causing the car to jump and spin uncontrollably, and head into the tree line. I decided now would be a good time for me to jump from the car as to not do myself any damage or leave anymore evidence.

I jumped just as the car collided with a rather large looking big oak tree trunk. Causing the bonnet to splinter off into hundreds of pieces while the rest bent round the trees trunk at such a force it uplifted the roots.

There were no more screams.

I casually walked up to the driver's door, please with my actions, and looked through the shattered remains of a window to se the driver, barely alive. The blood had streamed of his nose and a cut on forehead. I lost it! Completely immersed in the scent of blood, I ripped the door off its hinges and threw it behind me. I proceeded to rip the body out of the car and sunk my venomous teeth into his neck.

This blood was nothing like I had ever tasted. So sweet, I couldn't get enough. I drained him quickly needing more.

I spotted another woman in the passenger's seat.

Dumping the body in my arms I ran round to the other side of the car. Disposing with the door like I did the first, I didn't even bother to drag her out the car. Biting into her neck was just as glorious as her partners, so sweet like chocolate but thick like honey.

My god I was in heaven.

I looked over my shoulder to see a young girl, unconscious, still strapped in, and in the back seat. She had curly brown hair just past her shoulders, she didn't look very old, maybe seven or eight. But the smell radiating off of her had the combine force of both her parents.

I just had to have her.

I pulled away from her mother and went towards the back of the car.

I went to open the door and do what I had done to her parents before her when I heard something.

Not just on thing. Two. Two people, more specifically running towards the wreckage. Incredibly fast. They had to be vampire coming to investigate.

I looked up to the other side of the road and saw two men emerge from the forest. One had blonde hair, the other a unique shade of bronze. They didn't look overly old. They also looked exceptionally clean considering they were vampires.

Until I noticed their eyes.

They weren't the ruby red I had come accustomed with. No, they were a yellow gold. Amber, Topaz I couldn't put my finger on it.

They looked at me and bent into a crouch prepared to fight.

I remembered how those with the yellow eyes chose to drink from animals, not humans. I remembered they were more civilised. I knew there were only a few covens in the world that chose this lifestyle. I never quite understood it. Why deny what you are.

Knowing I was outnumbered and would more than likely loose, I turned and ran away from them, leaving my meal behind.

I would be back; I would drink that girl dry. No-one was going to deny me that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Heya, I'm sorry it's taken so long to update, there really isn't any excuse I can give you. Anyway's I'm hoping you'll all forgive me after I give you this chapter.**

**OMG WOW! Thanks to all of you for adding my story, it means a lot considering I can't write to save my life.**

**I want to thanks RebeccaSaysAhh, JadeRichmond and Twilightx28 for my first reviews, they mean a lot.**

**Anyways SM owns all this; I just like to think I do.**

**Here's Chapter 3**

**Enjoy xx**

**BPOV**

My head felt terrible. It ached beyond words. There were lights all around me, they were making my head hurt worse. So bright, that even with my eyes closed it made no difference.

"The lights … too bright … turn them off!" I wailed. I just wanted to sleep. I put my arm over my face, despite the pain it caused, to cover my eyes. Pain… how badly had I hurt myself this time. What did I do, fall down the stairs again, that would be the surprise of the century. NOT!

"Alright sweety, I'll turn them off" a motherly voice said startling me. It wasn't I voice I recognised.

The lights went off and I took my arm away from my face, ignoring the pain this time. My head still hurt so I decided against opening my eyes.

I felt a cool hand rub up and down my arm soothingly. It felt nice. I was curious, who was this woman.

"Who are you?" I asked. Her hand left my arm and there was a short pause.

"My name is Esme" she said "Esme Cullen. You were in an accident, you were badly injured." I could tell from the way she stopped there was something she wasn't telling me. A sharp pain shot through my head and I let it drop.

"Where am I?" As if I didn't already know, I'd been here enough throughout various stages of my life.

"Your in hospital in Seattle sweety," Seattle, why not Forks, "you were in a car crash with your family. Your father lost control of the car and crashed into a tree. My husband and son where out … err … walking in the area and saw witnessed the accident. He saved you, you know, my husband, he's a doctor her at the hospital. You were lucky he was out there when he was."

I realised that she hadn't mentioned where my parents were.

"Where are my parents?" I asked.

She didn't answer my question. I couldn't even hear her breathing, I wondered if she'd left.

Finally she said, "We'll worry about that later sweetheart, for now I think you should rest, heaven knows you need it. Get some sleep and then we'll talk when you wake up." She kissed my forehead, making my headache disappear for a brief second from her ice cold lips.

Started, I opened my eyes and peered into her golden ones above me. Such a strange but beautiful colour, nothing I'd ever seen before. They were captivating and I felt myself being held by them. They took away my fear.

She gazed back at me with interest, as if she was studying me until a huge smile broke across her heart shaped face, warming the entire room.

I watched as she sat back into her seat at the side of my bed and took my hand. Her skin, so pale, matched my own. I didn't feel like such an outcast.

My eyes travelled up her arm to her hair, a caramel colour, like the liquid was pouring out of her head in waves just past her shoulders.

Mum always said my hair and eyes were like a rich, delectable chocolate.

Here we sat, chocolate and caramel, we were a perfect match.

"Sleep" she said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I tried to nod, but found it hurt my head more. She seemed to get what I was trying to do. She smiled still, encouraging me to shut my eyes. And as they began to droop. I couldn't help but think that whatever my problems were, I would have Esme to help me, always there holding my hand comforting me, like she was now.

**EPOV (ESME)**

I left her after her breathing had slowed. Closing the door to her room I went in search of my husband, more than likely in his office.

I couldn't help but think what an extraordinary girl she was. She had made no complaint about the pain she was in despite the evidence on her face. She would suffer in silence. So brave. When she opened her eyes for the first time I couldn't help but think it was like looking at my child for the first time when he was born. I smiled to myself, I compared this innocent girl to my lost baby. I practically called her my child, mine, my own.

I stopped dead and realised that that was what I thought of her, as if she was my own. I knew that I already had 5 teenagers waiting for me at home, but this was different, she was young, she was innocent, she was pure and she would grow and change, unlike the others. I couldn't abandon her; I wouldn't leave her now she had no-one. I would take her home, we could adopt her.

I couldn't wait to tell Carlisle.

I walked up to the familiar office and knocked on the door before opening.

"Come in" he said. When I opened the door I saw that his desk was full of papers. It was the untidiest I had ever seen it.

He looked up and smiled at me. Then it faltered. "Esme" he said almost worried. "I told you not to leave the room, you know your not in complete control of your bloodlust, your in a hospital you need to be careful." He said with a disapproving tone.

I stared back at him, remembering that I had just walked from the girl's room two floors above down to my husband's office. I smiled; I had been too wrapped up in my thoughts to notice anything.

"I guess my mind was elsewhere" I said as he looked at me "there was something I wanted to talk to you about, that's why I came."

Carlisle settled back behind his desk of papers, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Go on" he said.

"Well, first of all I was wondering if you had found any information on the girl." I asked.

"Ah, yes I have" he said "her name is Isabella Marie Swan, born in Forks General, 13th September 1987, her mother is Renee Swan and father is Charles Swan, chief of Forks Police." He looked up from his papers "both her parents are dead as we know, and I've found that besides them she has no next of kin, her closest relative died a few months ago." The tone of his voice told me that he was unhappy that there was no-one to claim the girl.

"Carlisle, I wondering, well … maybe if we could … you know take her home with us." I looked away from him, ready to hide my disappointment.

"I don't know if it's a good idea Esme, a human in a house full of vampires, it's extremely dangerous. You know that Jasper's control is very limited. She could get hurt."

"I know about the limits of Jasper's control Carlisle, but talking to Isabella I felt something I haven't in years, the need to protect a child. Our children are more durable and don't really need our help, but she was so fragile, so small and when I looked into her eyes I was captivated, she has me wound round her finger. I can't leave her Carlisle. I can't and I won't." I finished my speech with my head held high.

I heard him sigh and watched him run his hands through his hair, a habit he'd picked up from Edward in times of stress.

I decided to call in the heavy armour and broke out the puppy dog eyes.

"Esme please don't do that, please… ugh you know I can't say no when you do that. Ok look fine, why don't we head back to the house and discuss it with the children, find out there opinions and go from there, does that sound fair."

I jumped up from my seat to give him a kiss. "That's more than I could ask for."

Excited we headed back towards the house. It suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't seen Edward at the hospital.

"Carlisle, what happened to Edward" I asked.

"After the police where finished asking him questions he popped out for a quick hunt, that much blood around the accident really tested his control. He said something about the Isabella smelling entirely to appealing to him and then took off. From what I can guess I'd say that the girl may be Edwards singer, which means that his vote towards her staying with us would probably be no"

I looked at my hands; of course it would be difficult for Edward then if Isabella was his singer, his control would be tested constantly. Then again being constantly around may make him desensitized to her. Yes that would work.

As we pulled up to the house, Alice ran out and stopped just before the car, bouncing excitedly.

I got out and she ran to me.

"Oh Esme yes, yes, yes a million times yes, I vote yes, I'd love a little sister it would be fantastic, I wonder if she likes shopping, Rose and I could take her, oh and you could design her room, we have more than enough space, she'd love it here. Please, please, please!"

"Ok Alice calm down, this is a family decision that we all have to agree, it would test everybody's control, why don't you round them up into the living area" I said and Carlisle and I followed her into the house.

Sitting on the loveseat, I looked at my children. Edward had returned from his hunt and I could tell he had already figured what this family meeting was about. Rose was sitting on Emmett's lap in the single chair. If anything I knew I could count on Rose's support, she would agree, she wanted a child as much as I did. I also knew that Emmett would do anything to make Rose happy and secretly he wished he could be a father. Jasper, ahh Jasper, this would test him the most, but like Emmett he would do anything to keep Alice happy even if it meant he had to be extra careful. That left Edward and Carlisle and I could persuade Carlisle if need be, I don't think he would ever deny me this though.

This would be easy.

"Children" Carlisle started. "As you know today whilst Edward and I were out hunting, we came across another vampire and unfortunately we were too late to stop him from killing any innocents. However, the daughter of the victims killed is in the process of recovery. Her name is Isabella Swan and sadly she has no next of kin to look after her which means that she will be taken into care. It's Esme's wish that we bring her home to live with us. We would like to know your opinions on the matter." He finished and lent back into the chair, I took his hand.

"What is she like?" Rose was the first to speak and I couldn't help but smile. I knew she was on my side.

"She's beautiful Rose, chocolate brown eyes, pale skin like us and the most gorgeous chestnut hair I have ever seen." I sighed "She's one of a kind."

Rose smiled. She needed no further encouragement. Like me, she was willing to protect a child she barely knew anything about. She was born to be a mother.

"Yes" she said, smiling happily at me "I agree with Esme, I want to adopt the girl."

Emmett, seeing her happiness turned to Carlisle. "I say yes as well." He turned to Rose who gave him an appreciatory kiss.

"You already know my vote" Said Alice, beaming from the corner. She turned to Jasper, "Do you think you'll be able to handle it?"

"I think it would benefit me towards my control, do you foresee any problems?" He asked in return.

Alice paused for a minute, looking into the future. "No, nothing"

"I guess it's a yes from me" he said smiling back at Alice.

Six pairs of eyes turned towards Edward, I didn't know with about anyone else, but I was mentally begging him to say yes.

"I guess it doesn't really matter what I say, do you foresee any problems?" He asked in return.

Alice paused for a minute, looking into the future. "No, nothing"

"I guess it's a yes from me" he said smiling back at Alice.

Six pairs of eyes turned towards Edward, I didn't know with about anyone else, but I was mentally begging him to say yes.

"I guess it doesn't really matter what I say, the majority has already been cast" he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Edward" I started "Your opinion matters just as much as anyone else's, we all need to be happy with the situation"

"I'm not unhappy about this, I just worry about putting an innocent in danger by being around us, but I agree with Jasper that it may help with control. I'm guessing sooner or later we will have to tell her about what we are, she'll begin to notice that we don't age" he said.

I hadn't thought of that, of course Isabella would notice. A small blip on my radar, nothing to important. "I don't think it's that bad, it wouldn't be the first time a human has found out about vampires, we would just need to make sure that she could keep the secret."

Edward nodded as did everyone else.

"Ok" he said "I guess I'm voting yes"

Smiles broke out all around; it truly was a happy day in the Cullen household.

"Alright then, I'll head back to the hospital to get into contact with the care agency, I'll let you all know what they say" Carlisle got up to leave for the hospital, kissing me atop the head.

"Wait Carlisle" Rose jumped up from her place on Emmett's lap "I'd like to come with you, I want to see her." She said.

"Isabella Cullen" I said to myself. The name had a nice ring to it. Isabella Cullen the missing link in our chain. I couldn't wait till she came home.

**Alright please review and let me know what you thought xxxx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Heya, **

**Thanks to all of you who have added my story, really means a lot. Hope you all enjoyed chapter 3 so here's chapter 4. Xx**

A new beginning

BPOV

I could feel myself slipping back into consciousness. It was dark in my room, I didn't know if it was because the lights were still off or whether it was the middle of the night. The good news was my headache had gone, the bad new, Esme wasn't here.

Cool hands stroked my hair and face. Esme, I thought. She had stayed with me.

"Esme?" I called out surprised by how croaky my voice sounded. I opened my eyes but I couldn't make out if it was her sitting with me or not.

"Err…no honey. I'm her daughter, Rosalie. Call me Rose though" an unfamiliar voice said.

I moved to sit myself up, wincing at the pain that shot through my arm as I put pressure on it. The bedside lamp flickered on as I managed to sit up and I was shocked.

There before me sat a wondrous creature. If I thought Esme was beautiful, her daughter Rose was unworldly. Gorgeous sun kissed blonde hair flowing over her shoulders and down her back. Full lips the colour of cherries. The same eyes as Esme; honey with hints of gold. She was definitely Esme's daughter.

She softly chuckled at my staring and I blushed when I realised that my mouth was hanging open.

"Sorry" I mumbled "It's just, well, you're so beautiful."

A smile crept onto her face. "Thank you" she said "but I have to say you're pretty dazzling."

My smile grew wider, she thought I was pretty.

"How are you feeling" she asked looking over me.

"I'm ok, my arm hurts" I said, looking down at my right arm. It was in plaster that would explain the pain.

"Your very lucky" she breathed "you escaped the crash with only a broken arm and a few cuts and bruises. But you were unconscious when they found you. It could have been much worse."

She looked to the floor, not wanting to say anything else. I knew why.

"They died didn't they?" I asked. My voice was soft but I could feel the tears trickling down my face.

She nodded not looking up from the floor.

I knew they had died. I knew it, from the minute I had woken up in my own room with only a beautiful strange there to comfort me. It didn't hurt as much as I thought, I had accepted it but it didn't mean that I wouldn't miss them. I was going to muss mum's laughter, her hobbies that lasted a full 10 minutes each, her attempts at cooking but the food always ending up burnt. I would miss the way dad would come home from work and sweep me up into a hug like he hadn't seen me in years. I would miss how I'd sit with dad through race car season and how we'd watch the super bowl together, always cheering and screaming. But most of all I'd miss how they'd call me their little princess and look at me with nothing but love.

I looked through my watery eyes at Rose. Sadness was written all across her face from where she had mean watching me process this news. She didn't want to be the one to have to tell me, but she saw no other choice.

"It's ok, I think I already knew" I said.

"I'm sorry" she said "I didn't want to be the one to have to tell you, I'm not goof at this sort of thing. It wasn't my place. But I know what you're going through."

"What …you mean"

"Yes. Esme and Carlisle aren't my real parents. They adopted me and err … my brother Jasper when we were younger after our parents died". She said.

"But, but, but you have the same eyes. The same skin, you both so beautiful" I replied.

She paused before answering; she looked like she was thinking about what to say. "Esme is my real mother's sister. They both looked very alike, almost twins. When I was born I got my mothers eyes and her pale skin. I guess that's why I look like her. My brother is the same". She finished her speech and I was surprised that she didn't seen to be out of breath.

"Oh" was all I could say. I suddenly felt very stupid.

The door opened and in walked a tall, blonde man in a doctor's coat. I was guessing he was Rose's father, Dr. Cullen.

"Ahh dad, I was wondering when you were coming back" Rose said. I was right.

"Sorry" he replied "I got caught by one of the nurses and she asked me to sign some forms".

I looked over Dr. Cullen. He had blonde hair like Rose, swept backwards out of his eyes. He too had the honey coloured eyes and pale skin. All together he was beautiful. Just like Esme and Rose. At that moment I knew Rose had to be lying about her looks because Dr. Cullen looked just like her and he had no biological link to her what so ever.

"Dr. Cullen, when will I be able to go home" I asked.

"Please call me Carlisle, Isabella" he said with a smile.

"I'll call you Carlisle if you call me Bella" I smiled back.

"Ok then Bella, Well I'm afraid that you can't go home, because …"

Rose cut in "I told her Carlisle, she knows about her parents".

"Oh well ok, well obviously you can't return home on your own. I'm afraid that you'll have to go to a special home where there are other children who have no parents and be put up for adoption. You don't have any other family who are able to take care of you."

"Or" Rose interrupted "Maybe, if you wanted, you could come home with us, ya know see if you like it. If you do, Carlisle and Esme can adopt you. If not then we'll find you somewhere else to live."

"Really" I asked. I was shocked. I hadn't known the Cullen's very long and they already wanted me as part of their family.

"Of course Bella. Esme's at home standing by the phone waiting to see if she should make you up a room. Alice, my sister, wants to take you shopping, Jasper and Emmett are probably watching football or playing video games and no doubt they'll need a hand. And Edward, well Edwards probably sitting at his piano". Rose said.

Carlisle smirked and nodded at Rose's statement. "Bella it's entirely your choice. I know that you have only just met us but our family seems taken by you. We would like to give you another family."

I looked from Carlisle to Rose. True enough I had only met them a few hours ago, but in that short time I had known them they had begun to repair the whole in my heart.

"Can we go back to my house first, I want to get some of my teddies" I said.

Rose was the first to answer. "Of course Bella, anything you want." She stood up and turned to look at Carlisle, "how long does she have to stay in here for?"

"She's clear to leave, her injuries are so extensive that she needs to remain here, the only reason Bella was kept in was because she had nowhere else to go." He said

Rose smiled at me "I'll go call Esme then, she'll be ecstatic." She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and turned and walked out the door.

"Thank you Bella" Carlisle said. I looked at him confused; he continued "it's been a while since I've seen Rose this happy about anything. Esme as well for that matter." He smiled "It seems you already have us wrapped around your little finger."

He picked up the clipboard from the end of my bed. "I'll go sign your release papers and inform a few people that you're coming home with us. Then we'll get you dressed and take you home"

He looked over to my right where I followed his gaze. My clothes sat in the chair, muddy, covered in blood and torn in place. I couldn't even see my shoes.

I turned back to him and saw him frowning. "I'll…err call my daughter Alice she'll …"

Just as he said this the door flung open, crashing into the wall behind it and in walked a very small and bouncing girl. Her black hair was spiked in different direction with a big red hair band neatly in the middle, golden eyes bright with excitement.

"It's ok dad I got you covered" she said strolling up to my bed, shopping bags in her hands. "I'm Alice, we haven't met" she said pulling me into a hug. "You must be Bella, I've heard a lot from Esme about you, and you really are too cute for words."

I blushed and hid my face; these people were being really nice.

I looked back up after I was sure the redness had gone and smiled "Hi."

I had to admit I liked the look of Alice, I bet we'd have a lot of fun. She sure looked like a lot of fun and judging by the bags she was holding, she liked to shop. Even better!!

"Oh she's adorable, right dad off to sign those papers so we can take this little angel home to meet the rest of the family."

Carlisle who had been standing silent and shocked at the edge of my bed since Alice and stormed in nodded and walked out the room casually, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Right then" Alice said "Let's get you changed before they come back in."

And with that she emptied the contents of her bags onto the bed and I looked at the pile in wonder.

"Would you like some help?" She said turning back to me.

I could only nod.

* * *

We spent the next few minute taking off my hospital gown, careful to avoid my broken arm. When Alice picked me up so I could stand I noticed that like Rose and Esme, her skin was cold. Maybe all the Cullen's where cold.

Alice pulled a dress off of the bed for me. The top part of the dress was like a black t-shirt that was attached to the underneath of a purple strapless dress. The dress itself had multi-coloured hearts on it with a black belt for around my waste and a silver bow on it. She then helped me put on some white tights to keep my legs warm and a flat black pair of shoes with sparkles on them.

She took my good hand and spun me round. I giggled. "Perfect" she said "I can see your going to look good in everything I pick out for you".

I smiled as she picked up a small jacket off the bed for me and put it over her arm and lead me out of the room and down the hall.

I spotted Rose and Carlisle waiting by a large desk. As if sensing me and Alice they both turned and smiled. I smiled back and Rose gave me a little wink.

We stood by them for bit until I noticed a little further down that there was some chairs and tugged Alice's hand. "Can we sit down, my legs hurt." She nodded and we moved to sit.

Sitting on the chair, swinging my legs I looked at Alice, she was reading a magazine. Alice reminded me of Tinkerbelle for some reason, maybe because she had a bubbly personality, maybe because I thought at any minute she would sprout wings or maybe it was because she was so small and had that certain twinkle in her eye.

Mum had that twinkle in her eye, she had it when she attempted gardening or whenever we managed to trick dad out of money for us to go shopping. We had such good times together. But we wouldn't anymore. We couldn't.

My chest began to tighten and I found it difficult to breath. Hot tears were running down my face and onto my new dress. "They're gone. They're really gone."

Alice picked me up and tried to sooth me, gently rocking me back and forth whilst patting my back. She turned me around to look at her, "Bella, there's nothing wrong with crying, of course you're going to be upset, just remember we're here for you, in one way or another, we all know what your going through."

I nodded, nudging my head under her chin. When I breathed in I noticed that she smelt like raspberries, really fresh, like she had used them for perfume or had a bath in them.

Carlisle and Rose cam over not long after, offering me a tissue to wipe my face. I jumped into Carlisle's waiting arms, wrapping my own arms around his neck and resting my head on his shoulder. His arms around me were so strong; they felt like a shield from the world, they made me feel safe.

Carlisle led Rose and Alice through the halls of the hospital, out the exit and towards the car park. Carlisle's car was black and really shiny, must have been new.

He opened the door behind the driver's seat and slipped me into the car while Rose came in the other side and did my seat belt. Alice got in the front and Carlisle the drivers seat.

Alice turned to me once we were driving, "We're going to take you back to our house first so you can meet the rest of the family and have some lunch. Then we'll take you back to your house so you can pick up a few things".

"How are we going to get in Alice" Rose asked.

"There's a key under the doormat" she replied.

I looked at her in confusion, "How did you know that" I asked.

"You told me while you were getting dressed silly" she said "did you forget?"

I didn't remember telling her about the key, the only conversation we had was about how I wanted my new room. Pink or blue or maybe purple. Fairies and mermaids or animals to decorate. There was nothing said about the key so I just nodded.

The rest of the drive to the Cullen's house was spent in silence. I looked out of my window and saw the outskirts of the city fly past us and morph into a sea of green trees. I had lived in Fork my entire life, the constant rain hardly bothered my anymore. Sunshine was limited here but when it did decide to shows its face I was always outside.

Carlisle pulled of the main road onto one that led into the forest. After a few turns here and there the forest opened up to reveal a pasture and sitting in the middle was the biggest house I had ever seen.

I was aware that I was being stared at by Alice and Rose and probably Carlisle in his rear view mirror. I was aware that my mouth had just hit the floor and I was now catching flies but I didn't care. I was shocked.

This house, if you could call it a house was covered in grey stone; the roof was also a grey colour, probably slate. There were a lot of windows at the front of the house and I was guessing there were just as many at the back. The area around the house at the front seemed to be a large grass area but I noticed a large waterfall sitting in the front garden.

Carlisle came to a stop at the side of the house and climbed out, as did Alice and Rose. It was then I realised I was the only one still in the car. Blushing, I undid my seatbelt and climbed out of the door Carlisle held open for me.

Rose took my hand and started to lead me towards the house. The front door opened and out walked Esme with a huge smile on her face.

"Esme!" I yelled as I ran to hug her.

"Oh Bella" she said as she hugged me "I'm so happy you came to stay with us, I think your definitely going to like it here"

"I hope so too"

Esme put me down and we walked inside the house, which I found to be just as beautiful as the outside. The room we were standing in opened into the living area, there where cream colours sofa's set around a fireplace. Above the fireplace was a massive television. To my left just inside the door was a grand staircase the curled slightly as you went up to the next floor and next to it was a grand piano. To my right there were two rooms. One I was guessing was the kitchen as I could see a cooker through the door frame, the other must have been a dining room. Just past the sofa's looked to be the back door which led to a nice patio area. And was that a pool, wow these people had it all.

Overall I had found that I quite liked the house, it was very airy and spacious which was good for me, it meant I wouldn't trip as much.

I looked over again to the sofas and noticed they were now occupied. Esme took my hand and led me towards an empty sofa and sat me down next to her as she introduced the rest of her family.

On the sofa to the left of me there was Carlisle and Alice who I already knew and then there was an unfamiliar boy, with blonde hair.

"Hello" he said "My names Jasper" he smiled.

I smiled back and waved "Hi" I said "You must be Rose's brother".

He looked at Rose, raised and eyebrow and nodded "Yes I am, were twins."

"Cool, I never knew any twins before" At that he chuckled and said "There's a first time for everything."

Esme continued with the sofa to my right. At the far end was Rose, holding hands with was a huge man; he had really big muscles and brown curly hair. He looked a little scary but he looked like a giant cuddly bear. "This is Emmett" Esme said.

Emmett stood, releasing Rose's hand and walked over to sit next to me.

"Ya alright kiddo" he said. I nodded and he held out his fist to me. I bumped his fist in return, it was huge probably the size of my head and cold like the others.

Emmett got up and moved next to Rose as Esme pointed out the last member of her family, Edward.

Edward was sitting next to Emmett with his head in his hands, he had bronze hair and it was all messed where he kept running his hands through it. When Esme said his name he merely looked up and nodded.

"Hi" I said. But he put his head back in his hands.

I looked at Esme and whispered in her ear so Edward couldn't hear me. "He doesn't like me does he?"

A look of sadness crossed Esme's face before she turned to Edward. "Edward, Bella has been through a terrible ordeal, couldn't you at least try and be courteous."

He sat up straighter after that. "Sorry mum" he looked at me "I'm sorry Bella that was very rude of me."

"It's ok, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course." He replied.

"Why don't you like me?" I asked.

He was silent for a moment before he answered. "It's not that I don't like you Bella, it's just different that we're having another person living here."

I didn't have anything to say to that so I just nodded. As I looked around I saw that all the Cullen's did have the same eye colour, to me it was strange because they were all adopted, maybe Carlisle and Esme only adopted children with that colour eyes. Maybe they all had a funny disease.

"So" Carlisle decided to change the subject, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Tell us Bella, what do you like to do for fun? What are your hobbies?"

"I like to read, I read a lot. Err I like to watch the Disney movies, play with dolls and dress up." I looked over at Alice who had a big grin plastered on her face. "I like swimming and playing video games" Emmett and Jasper high fived at that whilst Rose just shook her head. "Ooo and I love shopping!"

An ear piercing scream filled the air and I had to cover my ears. I turned and saw it was Alice making the noise, so I ran over and put my hand over her mouth.

"Alice please stop screaming, your going to give me a headache." I said.

She looked at me for a moment with almost anger in her eyes. The rest of the family however where laughing at our little interaction.

"Sorry Bella, it's just that well you love shopping, I love shopping, I have a new shopping buddy, and it's so great. Ahh I love my new little sister. So Bella, tomorrow you, me and Rose head to the department store and get you a whole new wardrobe?"

I smiled, she called me her sister. And she had offered me a whole new wardrobe.

"You know Alice" I said "You've got yourself a shopping partner."

**Sooo guys press the little green button that says review my story, please, please, please. I'll love you all forever.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to all of you who have added my story, really means a lot **

**Sorry it's taken so long to write this I've just been bogged down with coursework and exams at school.**

**Stephanie Meyer owns all**

**Here's chapter 5 :)**

**Some things take there toll**

Rosalie POV

Bella had begun to settle in well with the family. Despite Edwards's lack of appearance during family time when Bella arrived, which hadn't gone unnoticed by Bella, everything had gone off without a hitch. Well as good as it could when there was a family of vampires caring for an oblivious human child, whose blood was too tempting for her own good.

Everyone except for Carlisle and I, who have never tasted human blood were going to have to go on more frequent hunting trips. Especially Jasper. My poor brother. In the few hours that Bella had joined us; he had found her blood particularly tempting and had to leave the room once in while to get some fresh air. We all knew this would be hard for him, but he kept persisting saying that he was fine and that he wouldn't harm her. He has more strength than we give him credit for.

It had taken Bella and me a few minutes with our hands over Alice's mouth to stop her from screaming over Bella's love of shopping. She was so excited that it took Alice less than five minutes, without her vampire speed, to get Bella, Esme and me out the door and into Carlisle car for a girly shopping trip.

Bella sat in the front this time while Esme drove. She was positively beaming that she had found a new shopping buddy, especially one as passionate as Alice.

There were still some things that I wanted to know about Bella, and I could tell Esme and Alice felt the same. By the time we pulled into the car park we had found out that Bella loved the colours pink, purple and blue. Her favourite film was the Lion King closely followed by its sequel. She had never had a pet cat or dog because her mum had been allergic. She was also a strong believer in magic and magical creatures like fairies, something I thought struck a little close to home when she looked at each of us, the cogs in the little brain turning, trying to figure us out, but looking at Alice, I could see why she thought this. Alice was positively a vampire fairy on crack! We just needed to be very careful not to show our true selves around her.

From our discoveries Esme had decided what Bella's room would look like. A mixture of her favourite colours and animals, mixed so that as she got older, she wouldn't grow out of it. So Esme and I left Bella with Alice whilst we went in search for the items for Bella's room and Alice and Bella did some retail therapy. Alice was going to make sure to pick Bella up a wide selection of Disney films that she didn't already own, promising that we would collect the one she did have from her house.

Esme was very lucky in what she found from several stores, everything looked very promising and I new Bella would love her new room when it was finished. 4 hours late we all returned to the car, Alice was barely recognisable under the amount of bags she carried, even though she had been back to the car twice already, and Bella carrying a new bear.

"Bella, honey that's a strange looking bear why did you pick that one?" I asked. I did have to laugh to myself, it was one ugly looking teddy for a really cute little girl, surely she would have picked something more girly.

She turned to me and smiled, "It's a wolf" she said, "it looks just like my friends Jacobs dog Rex. He looks really big and scary but he's really funny, he always licks me and I get all slobbered up". She shuddered at that.

"The decorating company I ordered from said that supplies for Bella's room would be delivered by the end of the day" Esme said to Alice and we begun to climb into the car.

When we had pulled back up into the drive, the boys, minus Edward, helped carry the shopping bags up to Bella's closet in her new room. Esme excused herself to set up lunch for Bella, so the rest of us went into to the lounge and turned on the TV quietly.

Instead of joining us on the sofa's, Bella had walked over to Edwards baby grand piano. She eyed up the instrument with such curiosity for a young girl and carefully sat herself on the bench, as if she would break it by sitting on it. And then she gently pressed her fingers down on the keys.

The entire house had fallen silent apart from the tender sounds coming from the piano.

None of us missed Edwards gasp that had come from his room.

Bella sat there for a good five minutes, playing to herself more than us before Esme walked in with a sandwich and drink for her.

We all saw the smile spread across her face.

* * *

Later that day, Esme and Carlisle took Bella back to her old home to collect some of her personal treasures.

Minutes seemed to tick by like hours while they were gone. The decorating supplies arrived a mere half an hour after they had left. We asked the men to just leave them by the front door, so that we could take them up to Bella's room just to pass the time. None of us dared to start redecorating, we all knew what Esme was like when it came to her personal projects. So we all sat ourselves in the lounge, un-moving, complete silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. We waited as patiently as we could for them to return.

Edward even ventured out of his room and joined us to wait. His situation was very similar to Bella's. Both had lost their parents under tragic circumstances, while fate chose them both to live on. Edward may try to act like he didn't care, but I could see his edginess over what Bella was dealing with. He had done the exact same 80 years previously, will only Carlisle to console him. Bella had a whole new family to help her and I was sure Edward would try and help her past this stage of her life like Carlisle had helped him.

From the corner of the room I saw Edward nod. _Thank you _I said _but in future stay outta my head_. He smirked.

After what seemed like an eternity, the car pulled into the drive. I hadn't noticed that it had started to rain.

They all walked in, slightly damp, Carlisle carrying a red and puffy eyed Bella. He looked at each of us silently, ending with me, requesting is to keep quiet. He then turned and carried Bella up the stairs to his and Esme's room.

Bella didn't come back down that night.

For the next few hours, all we heard was Bella's gentle crying whilst Carlisle tried to comfort her. We were all itching to join him and comfort Bella, but none of us wanted to disturb the father daughter bond that was being created in that room.

Around half past eight, Carlisle came out of them room. Leaving a sleeping Bella inside. Esme instantly embraced him.

"Oh dear, are you alright? Is she ok? Is she hungry? I can make her some tea if she'd like." She said, fluttering around nervously.

"No, Esme dear she's fine, she's sleeping actually, rather soundly, I don't think we'll hear anything else out of her for the rest of the evening." He replied, fussing over his tear stained shirt.

"Carlisle" Edward asked "is she really alright, I could go and sit with her while she sleeps to make sure, it helps that I can read minds, I think knowing what's going on in her head will give Rosalie peace of mind." He looked at me and I knew he was right. I was a nervous wreck, this new little prize jewel of the Cullen family was distraught over the loss of her parents, we had all been through it, but we were all older than she is.

"I think she'll be fine Edward so there's no need for you to worry Rosalie, she just has to get it out of her system so she can move on with her life." Carlisle said and with that he and Esme walked out of the house for a hunt.

Alice came up to me and placed her small hand on my arm "Rose, he's right, I've seen it, she's going to be upset for a little while, a day, two at the most, then she'll be looking to her new family for the future, she'll need you, more than you'll know".

I nodded to her and the rest of the family then walked over to Emmett on the sofa, and curled up in his lap.

* * *

By the time Bella woke up the next day, her new room had almost been completed. When Esme and Carlisle had returned from their hunt we all needed something to distract ourselves from the gentle snores coming from their room, and all of us practically jumped at the chance to help Esme. The walls themselves needed to finish drying from the last coat of paint, furniture wise there was only the bed and another cupboard to put together, leaving the final knick knacks like making the bed and wiring up the television where all that needed to be done.

At some point during the night, Jasper had gone out to Carlisle's car and retrieved the bags containing Bella's personal items and brought them up to her room. Esme told us not to unpack them because they were personal to Bella and she would probably want to do it herself.

Alice had predicted when Bella would wake and five minutes before hand, excused herself to find Bella some suitable clothing.

Not 10 minutes later, Bella and Alice descended the stairs, hand in hand, Bella was wearing a simple grey cotton top with buttons and some black jeans, Alice had let her go with the comfort option today, her eyes were no longer puffy and red but still not shiny and bright, like they were from our shopping trip.

For the rest of the day Bella had remained quiet. Lost in her own thoughts. She had sat, curled up on the sofa, her small hands clinging onto the blanket she had brought from her old home. She said nothing, barely ate. I had started to get worried that she would never snap out of this phase until she asked if she could go to bed. As her room hadn't been finished, I walked up the stairs and took her into Emmett's and mine room. I stayed by her side all night as she had asked just as I was about to leave. Her gentle voice seemed so unsure of what she was asking that I immediately crawled into bed beside her for the night.

She whispered a quiet "thank you" and fell straight to sleep.

I knew it would take some time for her to come to terms with the loss of her loved ones. We had all watched our families age and die whilst we remained trapped, forever un-aging, I didn't want Bell to keep suffering. I was determined to make her happy and to turn her life around for the better.

Starting tomorrow, things would change for the better.

**Just want to give a big hug to anyone who has lost a loved one/ones in tragic accidents. My heart goes out to you.**

**The next few chapters in the story are gonna be fun chapters, so mail/review me any ideas you want to put forward for Cullen family fun, Winners idea will be published!**

**Thanks FluffStuff1991 :P**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ok peoples I am so so so very sorry I havent updated in well years, I've just been busy finishing school, passing my driving test and getting a full time job (the job was by far the hardest to come by). **

**But anyway a very late chapter 6, I hope you like it :)**

Rose POV

Bella had fallen asleep a couple of hours ago and as much as I wanted to stay laying in bed with her I knew my family were anxious for me to join them in their discussion downstairs.

I carefully manoeuvred my way out of the bed, cautious not to jostle Bella and wake her. She needed her rest and looked so serene and peaceful I knew she was having happy dreams. As I left the room, I kept the door slightly ajar to let a little light from the hallway in so it wasn't too dark.

Peering back into the room I gazed at Bella, my heart tearing a little at the thought of how much she'd been through. We'd all lost our families at one point of another but not at such a young age as her. To all of our surprises she'd handled it relatively well, but I wasn't sure we'd seen the full extent of her grief yet.

I walked down the hall and down the stairs into the living room, the rest of the family had gathered and the fireplace was lit giving the room that gentle glow of warmth. I sat on the love-seat next to Emmett who took my hand and instantly started rubbing soothing circles. He smiled his loving smile knowing how happy I was to have Bella here which in turn made him happy. Emmett never ceased to amaze me, with his amazing caring side. He acted like the big tough man who would crush anyone but he was always the first to stop up and show his sentimental side, he wasn't afraid to show it, he was a real man.

Carlisle gently coughed to draw our attention and perched on the arm of the sofa next to Esme and draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Right well um there are some things we need to discuss regarding the situation with Bella and he future with us" he said, we all stayed focused on his words.

"Firstly theres the matter of Bella's parents funeral, naturally I believe we should include her in the arrangements and whats going to happen and I think she'll want to make some decisions after all they were her parents and i'm more than happy to cover the costs" he said.

Esme nodded. " Thats a lovely gesture Carlisle, I'm sure she'll appreciate it. I also think it might be worth asking Jenks to see if he could deal with Bella's parents estate, their life insurance and the house and so on. Obviously all the final decisions should be left to her."

"Thats a lot of responsibility to give a eight year old Esme" I stated. I didn't want Bella put under any unessential stress, I already thought she was hiding her grief I didn't want her to break down. Maybe Jasper could keep an eye on her emotions and let us know how she was feeling.

"Yes Rose I agree" Edward said " I'm sure Esme doesn't plan on loading Bella with a lot of responsibilities, just that there are matters that need to be seen to and can only be seen to and agreed upon by her, however yes, I feel swell that Bella is hiding her grief but I don't understand why she's doing it. To make matters worse it appears that I cant read her mind".

There was a collected audible gasp from around the room.

"Edward you never mentioned anything before" Carlisle said.

"No, I know, I was hoping that it had something to do with the crash and her time spent in hospital, I hoped that it would just right itself, and given a couple of days all would be fine" Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed with himself.

"But it hasn't righted itself, so what does that make the possibilities, Alice are you able to have visions of her?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes, I see tomorrow she'll wake at precisely 8:15 am and she'll be hungry for pancakes Esme, blueberry pancakes" .

"And Jasper are you still able to have a read on her emotions" Carlisle then asked Jasper.

"I've had no problem all day, she was very excited when to hear about her new room and very upset when both you and Esme brought her back when you visited her house, nothing unusual at all." Jasper said, looking like he had no problem at all.

"Well" Carlisle said "This is quite frustrating, I don't quite know how to explain any of this" For the first time Carlisle was stumped. "Perhaps I should give Aro a call, see maybe if he has any records of this sort of occurrence."

"No Carlisle that will cause more harm than good" Edward almost screamed "If you consolidate with Aro he will immediately become intrigued about her and take him for himself, and in the process he will learn that a human is living with a coven of vampires, he will kill us all!"

"Very true Edward, he is right Carlisle, Aro will see Bella as another pawn to his Volturi army, if anything we should hide her very presence from him" Jasper stated. As a once strategical man himself, he would be able to predicts Aro's moves better than us all.

"So what do we do, I mean do we look into this ourselves, I'm sure if we gave Eleazer a call he would be more than happy to help" I asked, everyone but Edward nodded in agreement.

"Well actually I have done a bit of research into this on my own and I think I've come up with a 2 plausible answers" Edward said " The first is that I am starting to lose my ability."

"No Edward I don't think its that" Carlisle pondered "If you were starting to lose your ability I imagine that it wouldn't be just the one persons thoughts you couldn't hear, it would be all of ours and even so it would probably be a gradual decent given your age, have any of our thoughts become unclear or fuzzy to you recently?"

"No none I can still read all of your thoughts will perfect clarity, which is why my second theory is more possible, I think that Bella could be a mental shield"

"What do you mean by a mental shield" Emmett asked, he'd been sitting in silence throughout this entire debate.

"I mean that she has a ability to block any other abilities that would by effect protrude into her mind, it would explain why Jaspers abilities still work as it is external, more physical. Alice on the other hand is more difficult to explain, the only thing I can think of is that Bella's decisions don't only affect herself but others around her, a decision can alter the future and can therefore be seen by Alice, once she makes a decision the thought has left her brain and become a physical action, I however just cant read the decision in her mind." Edward said, he really had given it some thought.

"Does that mean, and this is just theoretical" Emmett said deciding to use big words "that if she become a vampire, like us, that her power would be a mental shield, I mean if she can already manifest it as a human who knows how powerful she would be if she turned, her power would be limitless, I mean could she expand this 'shield' to protect others from Edwards ability swell?" He asked.

"I don't see why not Emmett" Edward answered " which would mean that in theory her ability would shield her from Aro's abilities, possible Jane's and even Alec's".

"This is a very difficult situation, we must make sure that Bella is protected at all times. We don't want the Volturi to get wind of her presence around us or they might start to think that we're planning to overthrow them. It may be better that we refrain from talking to Eleazer swell given his history with them." Carlisle said.

"We cant keep Bella from the Denali's forever Carlisle, there will come a time where they'll be suspicious of our distance with them. They're good friends, good allies, I don't believe Eleazer would betray us to the Volturi, he values our friendship to much" Esme said. If there was anything Esme was ever certain of it would be this.

"No your right Esme, we should trust the Denali's, their loyalty has never faltered thus far" said Carlisle apologising.

"So were in agreement" I said "Were not avoiding the Denali's but nor are we publishing Bella's powers or decision to live with us?"

Everyone nodded.

"Okay" Carlisle said "Well secondly there's the matter of Bella being a human and us vampires, we need to decide if we're to tell her what we are also were going to need to increase our hunting routines".

"I think we should tell her Carlisle , but I think we should wait a while first, to allow her to settle into her new life with us, if we can gain her trust and be honest with her before we tell her I think she will be warmer towards us when she finds out." Esme said.

Thats was when Emmett piped in "If she's ok with finding out we're vampires, do you think she'll want to be changed, cos that would be awesome!" He boasted.

Edward growled inappropriately "Emmett she is not becoming one of us and I'll be damned if any of you agree to it!" And with that he stormed out of the house, probably to hunt.

"I didn't mean it like that, it was just a suggestion, she might want to become one of us, we don't know until we tell her." Emmett said, clearly upset about Edwards reaction. I put my arms around him and squeezed him tight, he wanted his new little sister forever. How adorable.

"I know babe, I know" I said and kissed his temple pulling him that little bit closer. As much as I didn't want any harm coming to my little girl, I still didn't want to lose her, ever, to anything, even time and the stupidly short lives humans have. Wait did I just call her my little girl? I guess I did, I would love to raise her alongside Esme and Carlisle, she's the child I never got to have, the chance to give Emmett a family, well as near as.

" Well that is a entirely different matter to attend to when the time is right Emmett, and I have no doubt it will be discussed, but all in due time" Carlisle said reassuringly patting Emmett's shoulder.

"Moving on from Edwards outburst, I think we should double or maybe even triple our hunting habits, as we're going to be around a human twenty-four-seven. Jasper I know this will be a problem with you more than others, not only will you have your own bloodlust but that of five other vampires, do you think you can handle it?" Carlisle asked.

"I have no doubts that I will need to hunt more frequently but Alice has assured me that she doesn't foresee any 'slip-ups' or me harming Bella" he replied.

"Thats good news, working around humans all day means I wont be as affected by her, but still blood is blood, we are hunters, and it calls to us, Alice can I leave you in charge of working out a sort of rota with Rosalie of who goes hunting when and who stays to look after Bella" Carlisle inquired.

She nodded.

"Well I think that's it for tonight, I am calling the adoption agency tomorrow so a carer can come and visit Bella and see how she feels about her living with us, Esme you can call Jenks to see if he can get some paperwork started on Bella's estate, Rosalie and Alice I will leave you in charge of the hunting rota and making Bella as comfortable as possibly while some of us are otherwise occupied, Jasper and Emmett I need you two to finish putting together the furniture in Bella's new room. I would also like to see if you could build her some sort of treehouse or climbing frame in the garden, I've heard that small children can be very fond of the outdoors and I've seen many playing in the playground at the park. Can I leave that unto you?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes dad" they both said, Emmett face was positively beaming at the idea of being able to get his hands on some heavy machinery. Not a good idea.

"Right well I need to make some calls and carry on with this research that Edward has started, enjoy the rest of your evening" and with that he walked up the stairs to his study.

Esme wondered into the kitchen, mumbling something about finding a recipe for blueberry pancakes and practicing cooking them.

Alice and Jasper excused themselves to hunt and probably look for Edward.

Emmett and I slowly walked back upstairs hand in hand to our room where Bella slept. We crept inside to lay beside Bella until she awoke the next morning.

* * *

**Anyway yes that was chapter 6.**

**I'm sort of having a block of where I want the story to go so if anyone has any suggestions feels free to let me know. **

**The next few chapters I'm hoping to make just filler chapters, a bit of light hearted fun between the Cullens and Bella, so let me know your ideas on what you'd like to see, the ideas I like the most will be written into chapters and a shout out will be given to the people who came up with them.**

**Thanks FluffStuff1991**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello peoples, well as I said the next few chapters are gonna be filler chapters, something fun so keep them ideas coming ;)**

Chapter 7

I had been living with the Cullen's for about a month now and was officially adopted by them. The caseworker, , a lady about 50 years old with short grey hair said she was more than impressed with the Cullen family. Everyone was really friendly to her and she eventually said that she saw no reason why I couldn't live with them. Emmett being Emmett had scooped me up into one of his big bear hugs and ran off with me outside to my new treehouse that he and Jasper had built for me. It was yellow and red, with a green slide, a ladder to climb up and a fire-mans pole.

Carlisle, Esme and Mrs Burner stayed inside for a little while longer to fill out some paperwork.

A week before the caseworker had come had been Mummy and Daddy's funeral. Carlisle and Esme had paid for everything and helped me to chose everything from their headstones and coffins to the food at the wake. Jake and Billy had been there, and pretty much the rest of Forks had decided to attend to say goodbye to them. Only Esme and Carlisle had come from the Cullen family, they said that they wanted me to have their full attention and support without worrying about the others, that and funerals reminded them of their own tragic loses. I could understand that, even I didn't want to be there but I went out of love for my parents.

Billy had spent the entire service glowering at Esme and Carlisle and eventually Carlisle went off to talk to him, I don't know what about, but I stayed with Jake as he held my hand the entire time. He's such a good best friend.

The Cullen's didn't live in Fork, they lived just outside of Seattle, Carlisle was working as a doctor at the hospital, Esme was self-employed working as a interior designer and Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett were all at school and about to graduate. The family wanted to move to New Hampshire in the fall, as Edward and Jasper had been accepted into Dartmouth University. Edward was going to study Music (being as he's so talented) and Jasper was going to study history. Alice and Rosalie had said something about opening up a small clothing store in a local town and me, well I wasn't sure if I wanted to move yet. I don't know if I want to travel to the other side of the country so far from Charlie and Renee. I know it wont be until the fall, and theres lots to plan and talk about before hand, I just don't know if I can be that far away from them.

"Bella honey want do you want in your sandwich?" Esme said, bringing me back to the real world.

"Cheese and ham please, I'll be outside in my treehouse" I answered.

"Ok dear just be careful". She replied.

Walking out into the back garden, the first thing you notice that its another glorious cloudy day, the second thing you notice is Emmett and Jasper wrestling in the mud, while Alice and Rosalie sat laughing and watching them.

"Bundle" I screamed as I ran down the steps and jumped onto the top of them. Getting mud all over me.

"Ah…No… Bella's got me… She's got me Jazz…Help help help!" Emmett screamed, rolling around on the floor while little me climbs all over him.

"I'm gonna get you Bella" Jasper said and starts chasing me around the garden, I run and climb up into my treehouse, sticking my tongue out at them, they know my treehouse is my safe spot and they cant get me.

"Oh Bella look at your clothes" Alice shrieks "The stains will never come out of it, now I'm going to have to go buy you another one".

"Alice she's a child, she's going to get dirty, you cant stop her" Rosalie replied, picking up a magazine and flicking through it.

"Yes I can" Alice said defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest and sticking her chin out.

Rose looked up from her magazine "SO your going to tell her that she cant play with her own brothers and she cant go outside because she's at risk from getting a little dirty, you do realise how ridiculous you sound? Next thing we know you'll be wrapping her and her clothes in bubble wrap to keep them clean!"

Alice pouted "Well I guess she's not that dirty and I don't mind going and getting her another top, I do 'love' to shop" she said and smiled.

"Well then its win win" Rose smirked and winked at me. I tried to wink back but I haven't quite got the hang of only shutting one eye, so when I wink it looks more like I'm having trouble blinking.

Rose chuckled and my efforts and went back to her magazine just as Esme came out into the garden. "Bella your sandwich is ready".

I ran to the other end of my treehouse and down my fire-mans pole, dodging Jasper and Emmett as they tried to grab me, shrieking with laughter all the way and ran up the steps to my food. Esme had cut the crusts off, just how I liked it, Mum didn't like to cut the crusts off. Thinking about Mum sent a little pain through me, making me feel bad for having fun like this when they were gone. I sipped at my orange juice and dug into the sandwich, tasty as usual.

I noticed Jasper looking at me funny, like he could hear that I was thinking about my parents, so I quickly looked away, I didn't want anyone to know I missed them, I didn't want to look like a stupid baby.

"Bella how do you fancy going out to a restaurant for some dinner tonight, you can decide where we go?" Jasper said, still slightly examining me.

"What all of us? All the family going out for dinner, but we wont fit in the car?" I said, it was true, Carlisle's car only had five seats including his.

"Bella we have more than one car" Emmett said smirking "Both Rose and Edward have cars as well because they're old enough to drive and have passed they're tests".

"Oh, but how comes I haven't seen them? How comes you and Jasper and Alice and Esme don't have cars too?" I replied.

"I do have a car, its just in the garage at the moment being fixed, Jasper has a bike, which means only one other person can ride with him, and Esme and Alice don't have a car because well they just either borrow or get a ride with someone else" Emmett said matter of factly.

I thought about this for a moment, I didn't see why the others couldn't have had cars, I just hadn't seen them and guessed there weren't any.

"Ok then" I smiled " Can we go somewhere with pizza, I love pizza, do you like pizza too?".

Emmett and Jasper laughed "Yes of course we can find somewhere with pizza, it'll be our first meal out as a family, does that sound ok?".

"Yeah, but can all the girls goes in Rose's car and the boys go in Carlisle's" I asked.

"I don't see why not" Rose replied "tonight my car is a man free zone, no boys allowed!" Emmett's smile dropped a little at this, but as soon as Rose planted a kiss on his cheek he was happy again.

"Come on then Bella, lets go tell Esme whats happening, then we'll go get you cleaned up and find the perfect outfit for you to wear" Alice smiled and her and Rose grabbed my hands as we walked into the house.

In the end, Alice, Rose and I decided on a black, white and pink knitted dress with a black jumper underneath and some black leggings and boots. Alice and Rose ended up looking like models as they usually did even though they weren't wearing ball gowns. We defended the stairs where everyone was waiting for us and I ran into Edwards arms. He'd been gone all day, he said he had some business to take car of for Carlisle but I had still missed him.

When I first met Edward he was very distant and cold towards me, but the other week when I had nightmares Edward had been there to chase the monsters away, and now every night he stays in bed with me until I fall asleep. Usually I can get him to read me a couple of bedtime stories even ones he makes up and he'll tell me all about his day and I'll drift off to sleep listening to him.

It was now I regretted saying 'only girls' in Rose's car because I wanted to spend some time with him. "Edward can I sit next to you at dinner?" I asked.

"Of course you can, I missed you too you know" He replied and I smiled up at him.

As we made our way to the cars Emmett said something about last one there's a rotten egg before Rose hit him on the back of the head claiming there would be no racing while I was in the car. I didn't mind, I liked going fast, and it would be fun to beat Emmett.

Dinner was so much fun, Emmett and Jasper had order pasta and were flicking bits of it across the table at each other shouting 'food fight', Alice kept trying to duck and miss pieces of flying pasta so her outfit wasn't ruined and Rosalie kept laughing. Esme and Carlisle had to apologise to the manager because several other customers had been caught in the cross fire and were very unhappy meanwhile Edward kept jumping in front of me and blocking the pasta that Emmett aimed my way. At one point Edward screamed 'I've been shot and pretended to die, so I had to kiss his cheek so he would come back to life.

It was the best dinner out ever.

Carlisle called for the cheque as my eyes started to droop and Edward carried me out to Carlisle's car, Edward climbed into the back with me and fastened my seatbelt as Esme slid into the front seat next to Carlisle, leaving Emmett and Jasper to ride with Rose and Alice. There was no racing on the way back, just the gentle purr of the car and Edwards quiet humming to send me to sleep.

**Hope you all liked it, after posting the last chapter I got so many new people adding my story to their favourite stories and favourite authors, I didn't realise i was so popular :)**

**Next chapter may be posted tomorrow as I'm stuck at work with nothing else to do, or it may be Monday/Tuesday as it's my birthday this weekend and I'm not gonna have the time to do anything.**

**Links to Bella's, Alice's and Rosalie's outfits will be posted onto my profile, whether they work or not is a different story.**

**Love Love FluffStuff1991**


	8. Chapter 8

**So I promised everyone another chapter and here it is. I'm really dishing them out lately. :)**

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW xxxx**

Chapter 8

Edward POV

I was looking over the paperwork regarding Bella's adoption. I couldn't believe we'd been so stupid. Birthdays weren't usually a big thing for vampires as they were pretty much unlimited but as a human it was a celebrated special occasion, and we almost missed it.

I walked out of my room towards Carlisle's office, and knocked before entering.

"Edward" he said looking up from some papers "what can I help you with?". Carlisle had spent a lot of his spare time recently continuing the studies I had started on why I couldn't read Bella's mind. So far he hadn't come up with anything and he was beginning to lose his patience. There were very limited options left for him now, and all resorted to asking the Volturi and no-one wanted to get in contact with them.

"Carlisle I was wondering if you had looked at these documents recently?" I asked.

"No, I haven't, have you found something we've missed?" he asked, worrying that there was a hidden clause that would take his new daughter away from him.

"No,no,no, I just noticed Bella's date of birth on the document" I stopped, hesitating, Carlisle looked confused "her birthdays this friday!".

Carlisle's jaw visibly dropped, stunned. "Why didn't I realise, why didn't she tell us?" He was shocked. He stood up and started pacing, his hand rubbing his forehead. "Why wouldn't she say anything? It's her birthday, every child gets excited about their birthday".

"Maybe she didn't want a fuss made. Her life has been changed upside down this year, she's lost her parents, been adopted by us and moved away from her home and everything she knows. It's been tough for her." I said.

"Which is exactly why she needs to fell love and treated and be doted upon. We're her family now, we cant let her birthday pass with no celebration, she'll feel unwanted".

Carlisle was right she will feel unwanted if we don't celebrate it with her. As a family we had to set something up for her, given that we didn't have much time, it was Tuesday, three days to put something out of the hat.

I had to call Alice.

* * *

APOV

After Edwards erratic call about Bella's birthday I started searching the future looking for things Bella would appreciate as gifts. Clothing was special enough, they were things I could buy everyday. Bella needed something unique, something fitting for her first birthday with us, something she would always remember.

I walked past the perfect shop and squealed in delight. A couple of people stopped and started staring, but I didn't care I knew Bella would love this. It was something she had said she'd always wanted but couldn't budge her parents on. Not that I wanted to prove our family better than hers, I just wanted to please her and make her happy.

I'd seen a couple of other things I knew Bella would be happy to receive but this would be the icing on the cake.

Ooh cake, thats something else that'll need to be picked up. I'm thinking chocolate, something small but pretty, after all Bella would be the only one eating it. And candles they were a must. I pulled out my phone.

"Esme" I said once she'd picked up the phone "You need to get Bella a cake…Only something small…Yes….No….Chocolate, I've seen chocolate, with white chocolate topping…No…We'll need candles too….Did you order the tickets…Great…I've just seen the perfect present….I'll explain when I get home….Ok bye" I hung up.

I walked over to the counter where a middle age lady sat reading a magazine.

"Excuse me ma'am, how much for that one over there?" I beamed.

Esme POV

Flowers - Check

Banner and Balloons - Check

Cake - Check (curtesy of Alice)

Now just the general shopping of food to do for Bella. I'll make sure to pick out her favourite foods for her birthday.

I walked into the store grabbing a trolley on my way in and started going up and down the aisles, grabbing food and putting it in the trolley. Truth be told there wasn't much to get, but I enjoyed these motherly human takes that I got to do for a human daughter. There was never any food shopping for a family of vampires.

Many of the items smelt repulsive but to Bella they smelt and tasted nice, and that was enough for me.

I finished the shopping in less than half an hour, throwing in a few treat for Bella as it was her birthday.

After loading the shopping into the back of Carlisle's car, I drove in search of Alice, as she climbed into the passenger seat she had the biggest grin plastered on her face, bigger than I had ever seen before, no shoes or clothing would ever be able to recreate that smile.

"Oh it's perfect" she gushed clearly please with her efforts "Bella's going to love it, we're going to need to pick up a few things to go with it, just the essentials and then so" she blabbered clearly excited "but I'll do some online shopping to find the perfect items. Oh she's just going to love it. Of course it's going to be a family present to give to her, no point singling anyone out".

"Alice, are you sure it suitable…" I began to ask before she cut me off.

"Yes, more than suitable, I've seen it, nothings going to go wrong, just because we're that way inclined doesn't mean we are completely barbaric, it'll be fine" she answered.

As we pulled up to the house Alice jumped out with her bags and ran inside, probably straight to the computer. I took my time grabbing the grocery bags from the car, and walking inside, I gave Bella a quick peck on the cheek and walked into the kitchen to unload the shopping. Bella, Rose and Emmett were watching Toy Story on the television, Carlisle and Edward where in the study, Alice the computer and Jasper was nowhere to be seen, probably out on another quick hunt. He really was trying.

As I started taking the shopping out of the bags a pair of arms wound themselves around my waist. "I think it's a really good idea" Carlisle whispered into my ear. I spun round to face him, winding my arms around his neck and pulling him towards me for a chaste kiss.

"Do you think she'll like it?" I asked "I mean do you think she'll like any of the gifts?"

"Of course she will, Alice told you so herself" He reassured me.

"She could be wrong" I replied defiantly.

"When has Alice ever steered us wrong" He questioned, I couldn't help but shrug "Precisely, everything will be fine, you don't need to worry".

"If she wanted us to know she would have said something Carlisle, given hints asked what we were going to get her, but she hasn't, she's remained quiet, as if she doesn't even know that it is her birthday"

"She's had a very hard year, she's had so much going on inside her head that maybe she forgot, or maybe she didn't want to tell us we don't know, all we do know is that everything is going to be ok" he smiled reassuringly and hugged me to him.

I hoped he was right.

_A few days later …._

BPOV

Today was my birthday, I hadn't said anything to the Cullen's because I didn't want them to spend any more money on me. They had bought me everything I could ever, taken my in when my parents had died, given me a new family, brothers, sisters, it was all so much. I couldn't ask for anymore.

I climbed out of my bed heading for my closet, surprised that Alice hadn't been there when I woke with clothes already laid out for me. Maybe she wasn't up, I checked the clock, 8:42, Alice would be up, she was always up before me, I wondered when she ever managed to sleep.

Looking through my closet I chose a simple long black t-shirt and some blue leggings. I pulled some fluffy socks out of the dresser for comfort. If nobody knew it was my birthday I wasn't going to dress up for it, I would be happy keeping today like any other day, chilling out watching TV with Rose, or mucking around with Emmett and Jasper. I guess I could ask Alice if she wanted to head to the shops and get a few new things, just to feel a little better.

I grabbed my wolf bear and headed downstairs.

What I didn't expect was that the room was covered in banners and balloons. And everyone screaming "Happy Birthday Bella!"

I was so overwhelmed that my eyes started to tear up and I tried to wipe them away with the back of my hand.

"Oh Bella don't cry, it's your birthday, a happy day, come one dear smile" Esme came up to me and hugged me.

As we walked the rest of the way down the stairs into the lounge I noticed the pile of presents sitting by the fire, all wrapped in silver and blue.

"Are they all for me" I mumbled, disbelieving.

"Well its no-one else's birthday sis, here come on let get them unwrapped?" Emmett said, handing me the first package.

….

About half an hour later I'd opened all my presents, Esme and Carlisle had bought tickets for me to see 'The Lion King' on ice, Jasper had gotten me a bike, Rose had bought me a Nintendo Wii and Emmett had bought me loads of games for it - secretly I think he wanted to play it more than me - Alice had gotten me a handbag, it looked really expensive, with $100 inside, Edward had brought me books, lots of books, some were books we could read together of a night in bed, others were old classic books he thought I'd like and the others were for the piano. Edward said he wanted to teach me to play the piano as good as him. Esme and Carlisle had also bought me a cell phone, so we could stay in touch when I went to school and in emergencies if I needed them. I didn't think I would need it but I had to admit it was a good idea.

"Now Bella, we do have one more present for you" Esme said, ALice was bouncing in her seat "This one couldn't be wrapped, but its from the entire family, its your present but its also for all of us to enjoy" she said. She got out and walked towards the garage.

She came out a few minutes later holding a lead, walking a very nervous puppy into the room.

"Oh My God!" I exclaimed "You got me a dog" I screamed and bounced over from the floor to the adorable little ball of fur, with its tongue sticking out. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god this is so cool, I always wanted a puppy but Renee was allergic so we could have one".

I looked at the little bundle of fluff and stared into its brown eyes. "His name is Sox" Esme prompted.

"Thats a funny name for a dog" Emmett and I said at the same time, causing a round of giggles.

**Hope you all liked it. Next chapter will be up as soon as.**

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	9. Chapter 9

**Hi Everyone so this is the revelation chapter. Let me know what you think so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**

Chapter 9

APOV 

It was all a bit ironic really, given the date and all. I could understand why the family had chosen it. Maybe to help cushion the blow. I don't know.

"Alice, I can feel the nervousness rolling off you in waves" Jasper said stroking my back "You need to keep calm, everything will be fine".

"We don't know that Jazz, I can't see the outcome, I cant see her reaction, thats what makes me nervous, I've never been so unsure of something, it scares me".

I could feel him pushing some calmness my way, I gladly accepted and melted against him.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much… Thank you" I smiled, kissed his lips and grabbed his hand, towing him out of our bedroom and into the lounge.

Every member of the family was seated except for Bella and Carlisle. Bella had been invited out 'trick-o-treating' with some of her new friends after school; Carlisle was picking her up on his way home from work.

We were all nervous, Edward most of all, he'd grown really attached to Bella, he read stories to her in bed every night, he'd confessed to us all in secret that Bella's blood held a specific attraction to him, she was his singer. This meant with age, the call would only get stronger, it was something I'm glad Edward made aware to us, we could prepare for it now.

There was no doubt of the amount of love well all held for Bella, in particular Edward, he naturally drifted towards her without even realising, it was almost like orbit, as his life revolved around her. It was kind of sweet actually. I kept looking for visions of Bella and Edward in the future, Edward hadn't changed, obviously, except in the majority of my visions he had a permanent smile plastered to his face, others he was sad and obsolete. Bella however was older, tall and slender, with mahogany hair cascading to the middle of her back, in some visions she was happy with us, sometimes she had brown eyes others she had golden. It was frustrating to say the least; I couldn't see a outcome until she made up her mind.

Esme nervously flitted into the kitchen, mumbling something about starting Bella's dinner just as we heard Carlisle's car pull into the long driveway. Sometimes vampire senses weren't always pleasant.

The car doors shut and we heard the Bella's small footsteps growing closer. She came through the front door with a big grin on her face, holding a pumpkin bucket full of candy; she was going to be so ill from eating all of that. Bella caught site of our faces and the smile instantly disappeared.

"What's going on?" she asked looking around the room worried.

"There's something we need to talk about Bella, with you, why don't you go take you candy into the kitchen and bring Esme in here whilst I hang up your coats" Carlisle answered, trying to give Bella his best reassuring smile.

As Bella walked off into the kitchen she kept darting her eyes between us, trying to see if any of us would give away what was wrong.

"Her fear and panic levels are through the roof Carlisle, she thinks were going to abandon her, say we don't want her anymore, I have to calm her" Jasper said, just as a wave of calm spread through the room, Bella audibly sighed in relief in the kitchen.

A few moments later Esme emerged holding a still nervous Bella's hand and walked over to the sofa where they could both sit. Carlisle gently approached Bella and knelt in front of her, whilst the rest of us were statues.

"Bella have no fear, I know you probably think that we're leaving you, we are not, we love you all of us, and we'll be you family for as long as you want us" Carlisle said calmly, laying one hand on her knee.

"Well why is everyone here, why does everyone look really nervous?" Bella asked, her voice beginning to quiver through fear, her eyes still darting around nervously

"There is something we need to tell you, well more explain to you, it will be kind of life altering and you may view us in a different light" said Carlisle.

"Oh my god you're all going to die aren't you!" Bella exclaimed with a high pitched voice.

"No, no, no, physically we are all fine Bella...but we are all technically dead already" Carlisle let the words just sit there for Bella to digest.

"How can you be dead, you're standing there talking to me, I can see you all blinking, looking at me, watching me, you're not dead" Bella counteracted.

"Actually we are Bella, were all dead" Edward leaned forward "We're the living dead, we're vampires Bella" Edward said, his eyes never leaving hers.

Bella sat there absorbing this information, I still couldn't see a likely outcome, Edward couldn't read her thoughts and by the looks of Jazz's face he was searching for emotions that weren't there. Bella just sat there, in silence, deep in thought for what seemed like hours before finally she burst out laughing.

"Nice try everyone, but you're only supposed to pull pranks like that on April fool's day and as you can see its Halloween." Bella said, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Bella this isn't a comical matter, we are indeed vampires" Carlisle said, sternly. I don't think any of us were expecting this type of reaction from Bella.

"Carlisle vampires don't exist, except in films and books and on Halloween, this is just some scary story your trying to get me to believe because it fits in with Halloween" Bella answered.

"Bella" Rosalie started "Why do you think vampires are only a thing of myth and legend and television, don't you think that the idea of vampires had to come from somewhere!"

"No, this is just some sort of joke and you're trying to catch me out... I know it is" Bella pulled her legs up towards her chest, hugging her arms around them. The reality of the situation was beginning to set in; she could see the seriousness on all of our faces, our sheer look of determination to prove that we were right. "Vampires can't go out during the daytime; I've seen all of you outside".

"Ah yes, well, whilst you must realise that vampires are very real some of the notions that circle about vampires aren't true. We do indeed venture out during the daytime; however we cannot go outside during clear days where there is no cloud. It's because the venom embedded into our skin causes us to, for lack of a better term, sparkle in direct sunlight, and humans would know that we were very different from them." Carlisle answered.

"What do you mean by venom?" she asked.

"You know that some animals like snakes have a source of venom within their bodies so that when they hunt for food it can make catching and eating other animals quicker and easier?" I prodded "Well as a vampire it's very similar, except that our venom is used to create new vampires. Like if we bite a human, our venom is infused into their blood and will change that said human into a vampire, I guess you could say our venom does kill, but it also brings new life" I said trying my best to make sure Bella understood what I was saying.

"So you have to bite a human and give them your venom?" She asked and I nodded. "Is that why vampires bite on people's necks and wrists?"

"Again that's another stereotype of vampires. In films and books, when a vampire bites a human, it's made out that the bite is what changes a human when really as Alice told you, the venom needed to be pumped into the body. A vampire can bite a human anywhere on their body, but most chose wrists and necks because it's a spot where pulses can be found." Carlisle said.

"When did you become vampires then" Bella asked. This time it was Esme that answered.

"Carlisle was the first of us to become a vampire, he was born in the 1640's and changed at the age of 23, back then records weren't as well kept so we can't find out his exact date of birth. Jasper was born in 1843 during the American civil war and was turned in 1863 by a woman named Maria. Edward was born in 1901 and was turned in 1918 by Carlisle who was working in a hospital at the time, Edward was dying of 'Spanish Influenza' and his mother had pleaded with Carlisle to save him any way he knew how. Alice was also born in 1901 also but we don't know how old she was when she was changed, Alice woke up after the change alone in a mental asylum, we recently found out she was committed to the asylum by her parents because she had premonitions. Rosalie and Emmett were both born in 1915, Rosalie was turned by Carlisle at the age of 18 when he found her dying in the streets, a few years later Rosalie came across Emmett one night, he'd been attacked by a bear and was very close to death, Rosalie brought him back to Carlisle who turned him for her" Esme said.

"And we've lived happily together since then" Rosalie said, holding Emmett's hand on the opposite sofa whilst he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"And what about you Esme, what's your story?" Bella asked.

"I was born in 1895, when I was still quite young I married a man named Charles Evenson, but throughout our marriage he abused me. After I found out I was pregnant, I ran away and gave birth to a son, who very unfortunately died a few days later. I was so stricken with grief by his death; I attempted to kill myself by jumping off a cliff. Whoever found me presumed I was dead and was brought to the local morgue. Carlisle was able to hear my very faint heartbeat and transformed me into a vampire. Soon after I woke fell in love him and were married soon after. Edward was already living with Carlisle when I joined the family, and I've become a adoptive mother for all of them" Esme answered. You could see the visible pain it caused her to recall the memories of her human live, but she did it for Bella to understand what she had been through. Personally I had only heard the story once before, but hearing it the second time wasn't any better.

"I don't understand, none of this makes any sense, I knew there was something different about all of you, but I didn't think it would be anything like this."

"Bella please you have to understand, we wanted to tell you now so we weren't hiding anything from you, we just want to keep you safe away from danger..." Edward had gotten up to move closer to Bella. But seeing him do this she had jumped out of her chair.

"No, no, no you stay away from me. I don't know what you are or who you are anymore, that goes for all of you, just... just...leave me alone" she screamed and ran upstairs faster than I had ever seen her move before and slammed her door.

I watched the faces as everyone in the room and saw their hearts all simultaneously shatter at Bella's reaction.

**WELL? WELL? WELL? WHAT DID YOU THINK :)**

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**FLUFFSTUFF1991**


	10. Chapter 10

**Previously on Isabella Cullen **

_"Bella please you have to understand, we wanted to tell you now so we weren't hiding anything from you, we just want to keep you safe away from danger..." Edward had gotten up to move closer to Bella. But seeing him do this she had jumped out of her chair._

_"No, no, no you stay away from me. I don't know what you are or who you are anymore, that goes for all of you, just... just...leave me alone" she screamed and ran upstairs faster than I had ever seen her move before and slammed her door._

_I watched the faces as everyone in the room and saw their hearts all simultaneously shatter at Bella's reaction._

**BPOV**

"No, no, no" I screamed as I ran up the stairs. Sox was hard on my tail as I ran into my room and slammed the door. No lock. I looked frantically around my room for something to keep the door shut. I grabbed the chair from my desk and wedged it under the door handle so no-one could get in.

Panic took over, I was trapped. Trapped in a house with seven vampires, vampires who claimed they wouldn't drink my blood, but all vampires want is blood therefore they wanted mine. I looked around the room, my whole body trembling, I needed something, something sharp or heavy I didn't care, just something I could use as a weapon in case they came looking for me. There was nothing, my room was filled with toys and teddy bears, they would be no good. It was useless I was going to die.

Sox sat on the floor calmly, wagging his tale while he looked up at me with the adorable eyes. He was calm, he was happy, he didn't know that anything was wrong, but animals usually had a sixth sense, shouldn't he know that they were evil.

I climbed onto my bed, Sox followed and sat next to me, his tale still wagging. My heart was racing faster than I would ever have thought possible, I had to think, I had to get out of here, maybe run away, go to Jakes, but I had no money, they would hear me go, they would know and they would chase me and kill me. Oh god I couldn't go to Jakes, what if they killed him to…and Billy! It was no use, I wouldn't get them killed I'd rather I died.

I couldn't wrap my head around it all, how could vampire exist, they were legends, myths, fairytales, something you watched in a movie or dressed up as at Halloween, there was no explanation. The family I had lived with for months now, without knowing were all vampires and I was the only one human. As much as I didn't want to admit it, it made sense for them never eating when I did, being so cold because they were dead, and never seeing them sleep. What I couldn't explain was how they could go out in the day, weren't vampires allergic to the sun and supposed to burn if they were caught in it. Words, memories, visions, explanations all swirled around in my head. No sense could be made, I was scared… scratch that I was terrified, I was going to die if I stayed here, Sox was going to die if he stayed here. I had to get out!

I hatched a plan as I quiet moved myself off my bed towards my closet, making sure I made as little sound as possible all the while listening intently to any sounds around me. Sox padded behind me into the closet as I reached to pick up my school backpack and quietly emptied its contents onto the floor, I made my way around the closet picking up items I would need, underwear, some clean jeans, socks, two t-shirts, hairbrush, I grabbed the torch I kept in my bedside drawer in case of emergencies and stuffed that in there as well. I emptied the money out of my piggy bank into a little purse, a grand total of $70, the money I had gotten for my birthday. I zipped up the back and went and changed out of my trick-o-treating costume. I put on my blue jeans, white jumper, green hoodie and my trainers because it was getting cold. I grabbed Sox's old lead from where it hung in my room and put in on him.

I made my way over the window and slid it open as slowly and quietly as possible. The lights where on in the garden which made it easier to see how far I had to get down. I couldn't jump that; I'd break a leg or worse knowing my clumsiness. There were a couple of skipping ropes sitting by my desk, I tied them together as tight as possible, praying that they would hold and looked around for something else to use, I noticed a scarf in the closet and the thin linen blanket on my bed. I fastened the skipping rope end of my makeshift rope to the leg of my bed, in the knot Emmett had taught me. I hoped I'd done it right or I'd end up freefalling and breaking something.

I flung the other end out of the window, it almost reached the ground, it would just mean that I had to jump the last bit, which wasn't nearly as scary as jumping the whole way.

"Come on Sox come here" I said, he was only a little dog and managed to get him to sit in the top of my backpack and did it up best I could. He was still half hanging out but at least he could dig his claws into my hoodie to hold on. "Good boy, come on were going".

Backpack now on, I lowered myself out of the window, it was definitely colder than before, and held onto my makeshift rope, and slowly walked down the wall. I'd done abseiling once with Charlie and found surprisingly I was very good at it. This was just the same just without the harness, so I was taking extra care. Sox sat content enough, head rested on my shoulder, which made this a whole lot easier, I couldn't of done it if he was moving around.

As I neared the end of my make shift rope, I gasped because I didn't realise that the gab between the end and the ground was still big. It looked a lot different peeping out of my room. But it didn't matter, I had committed to this and I let go of the rope, falling I didn't know how far and hitting the ground with a thud.

Thankfully nothing was broken, maybe some bruises and I took my backpack off my shoulders and scooped Sox and my torch out. Finding the end of his lead "Lets go Sox, come on boy we have to leave, follow me" he was more than happy to oblige and we ran away from the house and down the drive. When the garden light were of no more use I switched on my torch, confident that no-one would see its light and led us down the winding lane towards a main road.

The air was exceptionally chilled and the night silent. To silent, to eerie. I didn't know whether it was tonight's revelations that made everything appear more sinister or my mind toying with me. But I felt great unease running down the lane that had once made me feel so safer. Maybe it had always been this sinister and I was just deluded.

I knew I couldn't be far from the main road, a passer by would see me and help a small girl. But Sox's all of a sudden stopped and turned towards the tree line, he sniffed and then barked. It was loud; I knew the Cullen's would hear us.

"Sox shh please it's just a bird, please be quiet they'll hear us, shh!" but he wouldn't stop, I knew that it was over they would hear him and take me back.

I looked over towards the dim light in the distance through the trees, I couldn't hear any movement or anyone shouting, maybe they hadn't heard.

It was at that precise moment Sox stopped barking and I felt him cower towards my leg, and as I looked round I watched as a lone figure emerged from the darkness and stalk towards me.

My torch illuminating his red eyes.

I screamed.

**What do you think, next chapter posted soon **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi all please enjoy chapter 11**

Edward POV

As Bella ran screaming up the stairs we all knew we had lost her.

Alice's thoughts were right; all of our hearts were breaking. We never expected her to take the news well, me least of all. I knew I was a monster, the stuff of nightmares, as did Jasper, but the family had insisted that we tell her.

"_We cant move forward as a family without her knowing Edward, what happens as she gets older and notices that we haven't aged, there's only so many times we can go to high school without her getting suspicious!" _Rosalie had said.

"_We're her family now, she will come to terms with it, whether she stays with us or chooses to move on, it's her choice" _spoke Carlisle.

But all the while they were trying to convince me, their thoughts betrayed them. They all knew the chances of Bella accepting what we were, was slim. Hell none of is had accepted what we were and we were the vampires.

I brought myself back to the present, reading everyone's thoughts I could easily comprehend the emotions that flitted through their minds, hurt, shock, sadness even betrayal, at the fact she walked so freely into our lives and we had opened up everything to her.

"What do we do now?" Esme was the first to break the silence; her hands were grasped in Carlisle's, head bowed towards the floor, her body silently shaking with tears she couldn't shed.

Nobody knew.

"We have no choice, from her reaction it's obvious that she doesn't want to stay and we cant force her" Jasper whispered, he was looking out to the back yard, arms folded, he was trying to give the impression he wasn't upset.

"But our secret" Alice interjected "What if she tells?"

"No-one will believe her Alice" I said "she's young, children have active imaginations, and they'll dismiss it and hope she grows out of it".

Silence fell again.

Out of everyone, Rose was hurting the most. She'd come to love Bella more like a daughter than a sister, she saw Bella as the child she could never have, as a second chance. As much as she loved having Emmett for eternity, she loved the idea of having children with him more. Rose could watch Bella grow, guide her, love her and be there for her when she was needed. And now Rose felt like that chance had been ripped away from her, she may not of given birth to Bella, and Bella may consider her more a sister than a mother, but the maternal love Rose felt was profound, she was broken-hearted, without hope, lost.

Time would not heal her wounds.

Carlisle POV

I couldn't take the silence any longer.

"I'll go call the adoption agency…tell them that Bella's changed her mind" I got up and slowly made my way into the dining room, pausing only to grab the phone on the way.

I leant against the table, my hands pressing into the wood. We'd put a lot of effort into making Bella feel comfortable here and it was hurtful that she couldn't understand. But then again how could we expect her to, she's grown up in a world where vampires are monsters and only live to drink the blood of humans. I could understand that she was scared, I wanted nothing more than to giver her time to think things through, to think about what we had said to her, but her reaction told me that she didn't need time, she just wanted out.

I made peace with what I was a long time ago, and because of that I'd gained a family, a family I could have forever, a loving wife for whom I'm eternally grateful and six wonderfully brilliant yet slightly eccentric – all in their own way – children. Becoming a vampire was my destiny, without becoming what I am, I'm sure that I would never have had such a marvellous family. And that included Bella.

Reaching for the phone I noticed I'd left hand-shaped dents in the table, Esme was not going to be happy.

So I dialled the number and then came the blood curdling scream.

Shock and fear coursed through me and I sprinted to Bella's room. The rest of the family where there seconds before me.

Nothing, no-one, not a heartbeat. I caught a look at my wife's face, pure panic, I didn't stop, and I ran straight for the window. Even though it was open I'd managed to break it. Glass and wood dropping to the floor milliseconds after I had stood there, but I was already gone, my feet and legs running faster than ever before… I was not alone, the others behind me, charging to the rescue.

Bella came into view, she was laying on the floor, unconscious, Sox a few feet away, not unconscious but injured, he was still growling at the mystery attacker who lurched over my baby's sleeping form.

Vampire.

Human drinker.

Well not this human.

I barrelled into him, pushing his as far away from Bella as possible. I spun and lifted the sleeping beauty into my arms and handed her gently to Esme. No blood. At least she hadn't been bitten. While Rose and Esme flitted over Bella's body Alice had grabbed Sox. The three women stood grouped in defence behind the impenetrable line of Jasper, Emmett, Edward and I.

This vamp didn't stand a chance. And the look on his face said he knew it as well. He took off sprinting into the forest, but we were right on his tail.

"Get Bella back inside the house, keep her warm" I shouted as I ran with my sons. This vampire wasn't going to see sunrise if I had anything to say about it.

Esme POV

"Get Bella back inside the house, keep her warm" Carlisle shouted as he ran off after the vampire.

I obliged. As did Rose and Alice. Bella nestled safely in my arm, barely being jostled, Sox in Alice's whimpering quietly to himself. Rose was in command, she lead us all the while being alert. If she couldn't hold our baby, she was going to be damn sure nothing else came to harm her.

Approaching the house Rose signalled us to stop; we scanned the area, no sounds, no danger.

"There's nothing, its safe" Alice whispered. We trusted her judgement.

Once inside I laid Bella gently on her bed. Giving her the once over I couldn't see any immediate injuries. No blood, nothing appeared to be broken, she looked like she would escape with minor bumps and bruises. She was just sleeping it off, the best thing for her.

Our attention turned to Sox, his whimpering had stopped and he'd been quietly watching our assessment of Bella from his bed in the corner.

"What a good boy you are looking after Bella" Alice said and rubbed around his ears. A quick look over him showed a sprained paw, nothing serious. A few days and he would be fine. I had to remember to pick him up a couple of treats.

"Rose" I said, turning back to Bella's sleeping form "Can you undress her as carefully as possible, Alice lay her out some warm pyjama's and turn up the heating, I'll run her a bath and get her bed ready".

Not 5 minutes later was Bella laying with me in the bath as Rose and I carefully washed her, Sox kept his distance from the soapy water for once and stood by the door. Alice meanwhile was boarding up the broken window in Bella's room. It would do for tonight but in the morning we'd have to call someone out and repair it. That or have Emmett do it, whichever was quicker.

Clean and dried, Bella was tucked into bed. We were all still worried about her reaction to us when she woke up. But for now she was safe.

"The boys will be back a few minutes after 8 tomorrow morning" Alice whispered.

"Will they find him?" Rose asked.

"I don't know" she answered "he's making split second decisions on where to go, every time they think they've cornered him he's off again. He doesn't think rationally. It doesn't look hopeful." A petite frown graced her face.

"And what about Bella?" I asked.

"She'll wake up in a few hours, from there everything goes blank".

A few hours and Alice knowing Bella's reaction, the Cullen family never felt so down and out.

* * *

Bella started to stir around 2am. None of us had left her side, we hadn't heard from the boys, but then again we didn't expect to. Alice hadn't said they would call, only that they would be back in the morning.

"It's time" Alice announced. And my fear went into overdrive; it was a good job Jasper wasn't here.

Bella rolled over onto her back and opened her eyes. She didn't say anything, she just watched us as she pushed herself into a seated position against her headboard.

Silence.

Her eyes roamed over each of us and finally landed on Sox asleep peacefully in the corner. She stared at him, long and hard, for a good few minutes as we all stared at her.

"You saved me" she finally spoke "Why?"

"Because we love you Bella, your part of our family, we don't want you getting hurt" Rose said.

"But your vampires, you just want my blood".

That stunk a little, didn't she hear anything we had said. "Bella none of us drink human blood, we live off of the blood of animals. We're like vegetarians" I said.

She giggled to herself "Vegetarian vampires, that's kind of funny".

We all giggled, there was definitely humour to it.

"I'm sorry for running, I was scared, and I thought you were going to kill me."

I moved closer to her on the bed and held her hand, she didn't pull away. "We will never hurt you Bella and we will never let anyone get close enough to hurt you again."

She nodded, tracing lines on my hand.

"Look Bella" Alice started "if you don't want to stay here anymore we understand, the choice is completely yours, but we hope you do stay with us, you complete this family in more ways than one."

She nodded again.

"I think you should get some sleep, stay here for tonight and tomorrow when you wake up you'll have a fresh look on things" I said and made my way towards the door. "Goodnight Bella, and don't worry your safe here".

"Rosalie" she blurted as she snuggled under the covers of her bed "will you stay with me? I don't want to be alone".

I couldn't help but smile and looking at Rose the happiness was evident on her face "Of course Bella I'd love to".

Alice and I bid our goodnights, closed the door and made our way downstairs. We could still hear Bella talking.

"Rose"

"Yes Bella"

"Was he a vampire?"

"Yeah, he was"

"And he had red eyes, does that mean he drunk human blood?"

"Yeah, but do you remember what we said about the differences between vampire with red eyes and vampires with gold eyes?"

"Gold eyes mean you hunt animals and not humans, because you don't want to be monsters. Red eyes mean they hunt humans, does it mean that vampires with red eyes aren't nice like you are?" Bella asked.

"Vampires with red eyes are more savage, Carlisle believes it's because we hunt animals that we a more civilised and we can live together in a larger coven" Rose replied.

"What's a coven?"

"A coven is what a group of vampires are called, it means that same as family it's just a technical term".

"Oh" Bella answered "Do you think he had a coven?" By he Bella meant the vampire who had attacked her.

"Well if he was in a coven he wouldn't have been on his own in attacking you tonight. Most vampires are nomads which means they live on their own or they are with their mates in couples. Our coven is the second largest in the vampire world; the first belongs to the Volturi, their vampire royalty".

"You mean you have a vampire King and Queen?" Bella asked.

"Sort of" Rose replied "Its more like 3 Kings, they are the oldest vampires in our known existence, they're very powerful".

"Do they hunt animals as well?"

Rose hesitated "No, unfortunately not… We think that because they're so old it allows so many of them to live together. There's only one other coven that we know of that hunts animals, they live in Alaska, they're sort of our cousins".

Bella yawned, she was tired again.

"Sleep Bella its ok, anything else you want to know we can explain in the morning, you're safe tonight".

All went quiet until Bella's gentle snoring was all we could hear.

* * *

Bella woke up at 7 the next morning. She'd been calm which had calmed my nerves. I'd made her scrambled eggs for breakfast which she lapped up quickly and gratefully. She was polite and kind and totally unreadable.

Alice was on edge, she couldn't see Bella's decision so she flitted around trying to please an answer from her.

It ended up with Bella and Rose on one sofa. A blanket draped over both of their legs and Sox sleeping on Bella's lap. Alice and I were opposite them. We were all watching Peter Pan.

Bella had asked some more questions when she had gotten up. What was the Denali coven like? How could Carlisle be a doctor at a hospital and a vampire at the same time? How comes we didn't sleep?

We answered all of her questions, gauging her reactions the entire time, she gave nothing away.

It was at that moment we heard footsteps approaching.

"The boys are back" I announced.

Bella's head swung to the front door just as it opened letting four very wet and very muddy men inside.

It was her reaction that shocked us all the most. She flung herself off of the sofa and ran straight towards Carlisle.

"Daddy!" she cried and launched herself into his soaking wet arms. "I'm sorry for running away".

I could of cried and by the look on Carlisle's face so could he.

"It's ok Angel, you safe now" he mumbled as he held her close.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review 3**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you everyone who added the story to story alerts/favourite story/author alerts and of course the reviewers! **

Chapter 12 

**CPOV**

I don't know where to begin. I don't know how to explain what I'm feeling. Joy, shock… the words just seem so minute to compared to the emotions that are coursing through me.

At first I was angry, angry that Bella was afraid, angry that she wanted to leave, angry that she wouldn't understand, but then I understood her pain and her fear and I knew why she had ran from us. But when I'd heard her scream and when I'd found her lying on the floor, I saw red. Whether she wanted to stay with us or not she was still my angel, no-one was going to hurt her.

I ordered Esme and the girls back to the house with Bella whilst I spent the rest of the night chasing down the vampire that tried to hurt Bella with my sons. I had chased him for her, to kill him so he couldn't harm her again, we all had, knowing that when we returned home she probably wouldn't be there.

We didn't catch him, the nomad; we'd spent all night going after him but to no avail. We were muddy, we were tired – not from physical exhaustion more emotional – and we wanted the love and comfort of our family.

The four of us had just stepped out from the forest and into the expanse of the garden, we could hear Bella's soft heart beat and the television, Peter Pan was playing.

"_The__boys__are__back__"_ Esme had announced. I had internally groaned when I'd heard her say it. I would have been happy to sit outside as I was in the pouring rain if it meant Bella would be with us that little bit longer.

I'd walked through the door, eyes trained on the floor; I couldn't bear to look up. _"__Daddy!__" _Was all I heard as Bella launched herself into my arms and hugged herself tightly to my. I cradled her, I held her for dear life, as if she was being ripped away from me. I was soaking and muddy but I could feel her warmth encompassing me, she didn't mind the state I was in. Bella held me just as tight as I did her _"__I__'__m__sorry__for__running__away__" _she had mumbled into myneck. My hand drew to hold her there and gently stroke her hair.

"It's ok Angel, you safe now".

Everyone was leaving to give us some space, Esme tentatively kissed both our heads and made her way to the kitchen, Emmett, Jasper and Edward headed upstairs, no doubt to clean themselves off, Alice and Rose went with to help them.

"Oh Bella you don't know how happy I am to see you" I whispered into her hair. I moved us so I was sitting on the stairs, Bella on my lap.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't of run, I was just scared and I didn't think …"

"Don't be sorry sweetheart, we all understand why you ran off, and it's a lot to take in, a lot to understand" I said.

Silent tears had started to roll down her cheeks, I wiped them away.

"I'm not scared anymore, not of you anyway, you showed me that you cared when you came to save me, you've always been kind and treated me like a daughter. If you hadn't of told me that you were vampires I wouldn't have known and I wouldn't have trust any of you any less, so why should I now I know what you are, plus Sox isn't scared of any of you, well except maybe Emmett because he's really big, but dogs are meant to have like a sixth sense aren't they? So you can't be bad?"

She sounded so justified in what she said, in all honesty her thoughts made sense, in a backwards roundabout kind of way.

"We will never hurt you Bella, we'll do anything to protect, and you're as much a part of this family as anyone else is" I said, I held her face between my hand wanting to have her full attention. My thumbs delicately wiped away the tears that flowed down her face.

"I want to stay" she stated "I have a lot of questions for all of you, so many I cant even begin to form the sentences, but I will ask and I just want you to all be honest with me if were going to be a family" she said.

A family, she said she wanted to be a family, my god if my heart was able to beating I think it would have just stopped, so it's probably a good think it doesn't beat.

"We'll answer all of your questions Bella, don't be afraid to ask anything" I said.

We stayed cuddling together for a short while; I gently rocked Bella while she stayed curled in my arms. I couldn't believe the luck we were having, Bella wanted to stay with us.

"Bella I think it's a good idea if we go and get cleaned up, as you can see I'm a mess and your clothes are pretty ruined from where we've been hugging, why don't we head upstairs and get changed and come back down, I think everyone's dying to see you"

"How can they be dying when they're already dead?" Bella stated with a smirk on her face.

"Ha!"was heard, probably coming from Emmett. Bella chuckled and made her way upstairs to her room.

Esme came out of the kitchen with a smile on her face. "It's going to be ok love" I said, as I held her hand and followed Bella upstairs.

* * *

**BPOV**

Walking back into my room I glanced in the mirror. I really was filthy. Sitting on Carlisle's lap had passed all of the mud and wetness onto me. Time for a change.

Alice hadn't come in to help me find anything to wear, perhaps she was given me some space, and I was grateful for that. As much as I loved the shopping and the energy Alice had, sometimes it was nice to just have time to myself and make my own decisions on what to wear. Today was one of those days.

I decided to go for my Yumi 1960s Style Check Dress with some black leggings and added my headband with the bow into my hair. The house was pretty warm considering the majority of its occupants were vampires and they didn't feel the change in temperature.

I loved the generosity of the Cullen's, I know they had a lot of money and they didn't mind me spending it but still I thought it was very generous of them. I'd come from a family that survived pretty much on a police officers salary, which wasn't grand, and a few days of work that Renee did as a school teacher here and there. Carlisle had even said that they didn't know if I wanted to stay with them but they'd showered me in gifts and love and only asked that in return I try and understand they're situation.

Their secret was monumental, I mean come on, vampires, they just don't exist. Next thing they'll be telling me is witches and werewolves are real. It was a fairytale. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Vampires, yeah they had them in movies and books and comics but someone must of for the idea for them from somewhere. Someone must have had a run in with vampires before and decided to write about them. I can't imagine that ended well.

I made a mental note to add that to my list of questions for the Cullen's.

I couldn't imagine what it was like to be a vampire, I mean, they said they don't sleep, they don't eat normal food and they can live forever. Wouldn't you get bored of doing the same thing day in day out, how did Carlisle go to work everyday as a vampire doctor? How did Emmett, Rose, Alice, Jasper and Edward put up with going to school for years on end? Surely they all got bored. And how comes they managed to go out during the daytime, all the movies say that vampires burn in sunlight so only came out at night, what was the deal with that?

I had so many questions swirling around in my head that I didn't know where to begin and where to end. I guess the simplest thing would be to start with something easy and go from there, but would my brain be able to handle this overload of information?

Hell no!

I grabbed a notepad and pen from my desk and headed downstairs. Everyone was already changed and waiting for me in an unnatural silence, then again none of them were natural so it made sense.

Esme patted the seat that was empty between her and Carlisle, so I made my way towards it and sat between them. Someone, probably Esme, had poured me a glass of juice and sat it on the coffee table in front of me.

Now came the hard part, I didn't know where to start. I was fiddling aimlessly with my notepad and pen, avoiding the eyes of everyone in the room. I wasn't nervous; I just didn't know how to ask the seemingly awkward questions that I'm pretty sure no-one has had to ask before.

_How long have you been sucking blood?_

_Whats the deal with this supernatural crap then?_

God, who knew it would be so hard to ask a couple of stupid questions...

"Bella, I can feel your aggravation, take your time with these questions, we're not going anywhere" Jasper said with a warm smile.

How could he feel my aggravation? How could he do that. Was that his super power? Great now I had another set of questions running through my brain!

"Why don't we start for you Bella and you can take some notes and ask questions where you feel you need to, yes?" Esme suggested, she put her hand on my knee as a form of comforting.

"Ok" I replied.

"Where to begin" she said more to herself "Well as we told you already Carlisle was the first to become a vampire out of all of us, we think that he was turned somewhere around the middle of the 1600's, we don't know for sure because people didn't record time as thoroughly as they do know"

"How old were you?" I asked.

"I believe I was 23 when I was turned, but as Esme said time wasn't measured as well back then" he smiled.

"Jasper is the second oldest in the family, he was turned by a different vampire during the American civil war by a woman named Maria" Esme continued.

"Were you a soldier Jasper?" I asked looking up from the notes I'd already taken into his amber eyes.

"Yes I was, when I joined the confederacy I told them I was 18 because they wouldn't let you join if you was any younger. Soon I became the youngest ever to be promoted to Major, even with me lying about my real age." This was something he was very proud of, I could tell.

"But why did" I looked down for the name "Maria, choose to turn you?" I asked.

"Personally I believe she observed me in the military for a while, watching the kind of person I am and what I was capable of. You have to remember Bella I was in command of a large number of men, I gave orders and they followed absolutely. My authority was unquestionable. To an outsider, like Maria, I was the perfect person to control the other vampires she turned, she knew I would follow orders to the mark and therefore so would anybody under my power." Jasper said.

"You say that she turned other people as well as you?" I asked.

"Yes, she did, but the reasons behind it come down to power and domination, but the story is something I'll have to tell you when your older, right now your to young to understand and its not a story you would be happy to listen to" Jasper said, this part he wasn't happy about, something in his past he wasn't to keen to relive.

"Ok Jasper I understand" I smiled warmly at him, letting him know it was alright and made a few notes to ask him about his past at a later date.

Everyone else in the room was taking the information in as well, even though they had probably heard these stories before. This time it was for my benefit.

"You okay to carry on Bella?" Esme asked.

I nodded happily.

"Ok well, Edward was born in 1901 and was turned in 1918 by Carlisle who was working in a hospital at the time, Edward was the first person Carlisle has sired, which means turned, since he himself was turned. Carlisle chose Edward because he was dying of 'Spanish Influenza' and his mother had pleaded with him to save her son any way he knew how."

"It was like she knew what I was and what I could do" Carlisle mused.

I looked from him to Edward. "Do you remember much about your parents Edward?"

"A few things here and there" he replied "I've been a vampire for so long that I don't remember them so clearly anymore, but I've made new memories. And I've got Esme and Carlisle for parents now"

"That's nice" I replied smiling "So I guess that we've been in similar situations, we both lost our parents" sniff "but gained a new family".

"Yes, very similar" he replied.

I took a sip from my juice on the table wanting to take away the dryness.

"Alice was the next to be turned, like Edward she was also born in 1901 but as I said before we don't know how old she was when she was changed. She woke up after the change alone in a mental asylum. We recently found out she was committed to the asylum by her parents"

"Why were you in the asylum Alice?" I asked.

"Because I had premonitions, you know like being able to see the future, back then it was considered abnormal, and I was considered crazy whereas now I can imagine you think its more a superpower" Alice replied, her pixie grin in place.

"Seeing the future is pretty cool, but I guess its like we learned in history, times change and so do peoples opinions on things, like we have more advanced technology and people can wear skirts whereas in the Victorian era, women couldn't even show their ankles" I said proud of the little History I'd managed to keep inside my brain.

"Very true Bella, well done for paying attention in History" Rosalie said pleased.

"Yeah, cos History is so boring to sit through" Emmett whined and Rose smacked him.

"Ouch! Babe that hurts, I'm not lying though, I am living History, I've lived in the different era's, whose knows more about it than me?" he moaned.

"Carlisle knows more, he's older than you" I chirped in cheekily.

"Meh, meh, meh, meh, meh, I'll get you for that, smart-ass" Emmett joked back; at least I hope he was joking.

SMACK

Rose hit him up the back of the head whilst trying to control her giggles "You will not get her and she is right, Carlisle is older than you!"

Emmett said nothing, just went silent and crossed his arms defiantly whilst pouting.

"Now if we can get back to the questions without interruption Emmett" he answered by sticking his tongue out "I think we've only got you and Rose left we haven't talked about…oh and Esme as well"

Rose started "Emmett and I were both born in 1915, I was turned by Carlisle at the age of 18 when he found me dying on the streets, he smelt the blood and came looking..."

"Why were you dying on the street, what happened?" I asked

"Again Bella like Jasper I think you're a little to young to hear the full story, just know that I was attacked by some bad men. A few years later, after I was turned I was out hunting at night when I came across Emmett, he'd been attacked by a bear and was very close to dying, so I brought him back to Carlisle who changed him for me. I was to scared to do it myself, I've never tasted human blood and I knew I loved him the moment I saw him" Rose said smiling and turned to give Emmett a kiss on the cheek as he put his arm around her.

"So Esme that just leaves you, I remember you saying that you were married before Carlisle and you had a little boy, who died."

"Yes, as I said before I was so upset that he had died I tried to kill myself by jumping off a cliff. I was taken to the morgue where I was presumed dead but Carlisle heard the faint traces of my heartbeat and turned me. When I woke up I fell in love with him and we've been happy ever since. Did you know that Carlisle treated my broken leg when I was a child, I recognised his face when I woke up" she said.

"Aww that's so sweet, so becoming a vampire has found a lot of you true love"

"Yeah it has, we're all very happy, more so now that your with us" Esme beamed.

"Edward that just you without true love, we need to find you a girlfriend" I noted.

"What about you Bella, you've not got a boyfriend?" He retorted with a smirk.

"That's because I'm too young and I'm not a vampire" I quipped.

"Well I'll make you a deal, you can be my girlfriend and I'll be your boyfriend so we're not the odd ones out a home until we find true love, deal?" he asked.

"Okay, but none of that kissing that Rose and Emmett do, its like they're eating each others faces" I replied.

Everyone chuckled.

"Hey I resent that!" Emmett moaned just as Edward said "Deal".

My stomach decided to make itself known at that moment and growled really loudly.

"Lunch time for the human" Rosalie announced and Esme got up to make me something.

"So how comes you don't eat food?" I asked.

"Cos it tastes like dirt" Emmett interrupted and received a stern look from Carlisle.

"Because we're no longer living we no longer need that kind of substance to survive" Carlisle answered.

"But you need blood, why blood, why not apple juice?" I asked.

"Honestly, I don't know, vampires are considered demonic and satanic creatures, maybe blood is a form of punishment for becoming what we are"

"Emmett said food tastes like dirt; does that mean you've tried eating it?"

"Yeah, wasn't pretty, I puked it all back up again within a few minutes" Emmett grumbled.

"Ewww Emmett that's gross!"

"What! You asked so I told, it's not as if your not gonna upchuck while you live here and we'll all be able to hear it, vampire hearing remember" he said tapping his ear.

"Still that's pretty nasty, but you did lead me onto my next question. What are these special abilities you all have?"

"As a vampire we have enhanced abilities, our senses are heightened, like we can run extraordinarily fast, hear things from miles around, our vision and sense of smell are so precise, we have the ability to go without breathing for substantial amounts of time.." Esme mentioned as she came back in with a bowl of soup and crackers for me.

I finished writing down a few little notes – super senses, can run fast, don't need to breathe – and dug into the creamy chicken soup in front of me. "So you say you don't need to breathe, why is that?"

"Like Carlisle said before we're dead" Edward started but Esme cut in "Edward you don't need to be so matter of factly about it she's eating"

"Sorry Mum but there's no other way of putting it we are dead" Esme just gave him a disapproving look "So Bella because we're dead we don't need to breathe, the reason humans breath is to help the heart pump blood around the body, our hearts don't beat anymore and instead of blood we have venom – which creates vampires – running through us".

"So…you…could…like…stay…under…water…forever…if…you…wanted to? I asked between bites.

"Theoretically yes but it would get really uncomfortable because we couldn't speak, we could use smell anything, our hearing would be very muted and we would get hungry if we stay for long periods of time" Edward responded.

"Mmm makes sense, but Alice said before about having premonitions and Jasper said he could feel my aggravation, what does that mean, do you have extra abilities?"

"Your very observant Bella I didn't think you would pick up on what I said earlier, but yes there are a few of us in the family that have extra gifts, Alice rightly said earlier that she has premonitions of the future" Jasper started.

"But the future always changes Bella so none of my visions are 100% set in stone, say you wanted to go to the park tomorrow, I would be able to see us heading to the park however if you then changed your mind and said that you'd prefer catching a movie then the vision of the park would change to us going to the cinema, the vision all depends on whoever is involved and the decisions they make" Alice interjected.

"Yes as Alice says her visions change, I can manipulate emotions, make you feel happy, sad even give you a heavy dose of lethargy to help you fall asleep" Jasper added.

That had me wondering "Jasper if you can manipulate emotions, why didn't you try to calm me down or manipulate me last night when you told me you were vampires" I asked.

"Those emotions were something you needed to come to grip with yourself, I didn't want to use my power to abuse the situation last night because you had to come to terms with how you felt for yourself, it would have been unfair of me to make you calm and happy in order to stay with us if it wasn't something you truly wanted"

"Thank you for letting me deal with things myself"

"You're very welcome"

"So is it just you two with these 'super powers'?" I asked.

"Actually no Bella, I can read minds" Edward said.

"That's pretty cool; can you guess what I'm thinking?"

"Err no… you're the first person I've come across whose mind I cant actually read" he said running his hands through his hair.

"Why's that" I asked

"We don't know Bella; I believe that Jasper, Alice and Edwards abilities have formed as a vampire because of something in their human lives. You already know Alice was admitted to a asylum because of her precognition, Edward as a human was very influenced by the thoughts of others, he was conscious of what others thought of him and Jasper as a human was always able to manipulate a situation, he could make people laugh with humorous jokes or instil courage in soldiers before battle. These types of things I imagine are things that again are enhanced when they became vampires "Carlisle mused.

"So what about me, why doesn't Edwards ability work on me but Alice and Jaspers do?"

"Both Alice and Jasper abilities work outside of the mind, whereas Edwards is inside, it leads me to believe that say – for example – you became a vampire, you may be able to block not only yourself from Edwards ability but others as well"

"Are there others that have mental abilities?" I asked.

"Only a few in which I know of, but there are many of our kind in the world that I am yet to meet" Carlisle answered.

"How many do you think there are?"

"Hundreds, thousands maybe, but definitely not on the scale of humans, the majority of vampires drink human blood and it wouldn't be beneficial to outweigh the food source" Jasper said.

"You said before about another family of vampires that only drink from animals as well, what are they like?" I asked.

"They are a smaller coven to our own, only five in total, four females and one male. Carmen and Eleazer act as the parents with Tanya, Irina and Kate the daughter. The three of them are actually related by blood, they were sisters as humans as well". Rose said.

"And they live in Alaska?"

"Yes they live in Denali"

"Do they visit often?" It all sounded very interesting meeting them.

"Not what a human would call often, remember Bella time means something different to us, to you a year may seem long but to us a year is like a couple of days" Alice answered.

"Can I meet them?"

"I don't see why not, they are overdue a visit and I can imagine Tanya is very anxious to see you again Edward" Carlisle stated with a smug grin.

Edward groaned.

"I don't get it" I said.

"Tanya is very flirty with Edward, she fancies the pants of him for lack of a better term, and every time she sees him she latches onto him like a leech" Alice said giggling.

"She's the most annoying thing in the world, no matter how many times I tell her I'm not interested she keep coming back" Edward said, head between his legs.

"Is she pretty?" I asked, slightly jealous. I could see Jasper picking up on it.

"She's not ugly" Edward said.

"Oh shut up Eddie she is pretty smokin, she's just not your type and that's what she doesn't understand. See Bella, Tanya isn't used to men refusing her, so when Edward came along and rejected her she didn't like it, so now she sees it as a challenge" Emmett chimed in.

"Well she'll just have to lump it, because Edward and me and now boyfriend and girlfriend so she cant have him! And I'll tell her that myself" I said defiantly.

Edward chuckled. "I knew there was a reason I loved you".

He loved me….Swoon. If I was a bit older, I would definitely want Edward as my boyfriend, he's pretty good looking.

"I think that's enough questions for today, we can always pick up where we finished tomorrow if you have anything else to ask" Carlisle said.

"Yeah I'm good for today, bit of brain overload but nothing I cant handle" I said.

"Well on that note" Esme jumped up "I'm going to head to the grocery store to grab you some more food, Bella do you fancy joining me?" she asked.

"Yes please, I want to have a look at the dog toys for Sox while we're there"

"I don't see why not" she smiled.

"Mind if I tag along" Rose asked sheepishly.

"Of course" both Esme and I said.

"Okay well whilst you ladies are out shopping, I'll give Eleazer a call, see if him and the other want to come down and celebrate our first Christmas with Bella"

"That's a wonderful idea" Esme said and kissed him on the cheek. "What do you think Bella, not to soon for you is it?"

"No, Christmas should be great"

"Oooo I'll start planning" Alice chirped up "I can do a bit of online ordering and see if there's any new clothes for Bella" and she dashed off towards the computer.

Shaking my head I walked out to the car with Esme and Rose. That girl could shop for the world.

**So please review thank you**

**Fluffstuff1991**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi Everyone,**

**I've had loads of people asking me when Bella is going to grow up and decided this will be my last chapter with a young Bella, I'll fill you all in at the end of the story…**

**ENJOY**

Chapter 13

**Rose POV**

It was a few day before Christmas and the house had been buzzing non-stop for the past few weeks.

Alice, Esme and Bella had been so hyper preparing for Christmas and the arrival of the Denali's.

We'd managed to rein Alice in and hold of putting any decorations up until December.

The beginning of November was when she wanted to start!

Her excuse, _"__if __the __shops __can __do __it __why __cant __we?__"_ after that Edward had started with his consumerism speech and a heated debate ensued.

The rest of us just sat and giggle at them until Carlisle had put his foot down and told Alice she had to wait until December.

"_But __Carlisle __don__'__t __you __want __everything __to __be __special __for __Bella__'__s __first __Christmas __with __us?__" _Alice had whined, knowing that Bella was Carlisle's weak spot.

"_Everything w__ill __be __perfect __Alice, __I __have __no __doubt __that __you, __Esme __and __Rose __will __pull __of __a __spectacular __Christmas __for __all __of __us, __but __that __doesn__'__t __mean __you __can __start __decorating __this __early, __it__'__s __tacky, __and __your a __vampire, __its __not __like __you __need __extra __time__" _Carlisle had effectively ended the conversation and went right back to looking through a housing brochure he'd recently obtained.

That didn't stop Alice from her online ordering and constant spending so that everything was here come the first.

I remember Bella's reaction to Alice's enthusiasm to Christmas, as much as she to loved to shop she couldn't understand why Alice felt the need to go Over the Top this time of year.

"_Alice __I __hope __your __not __doing __all __of __this __for __my __benefit?__" _Bella had questioned.

"_Mostly__" _she replied _"__It__'__s __your __first __Christmas __as __a __Cullen __Bella __and __I __want __it __to __be __the __most __spectacular __Christmas __you__'__ve __ever __had, __that __and __the __Denali__'__s __are __coming __so __it__'__s __not __all __for __you, __just __mainly__"_

"_But Alice this isn't going to be my last Christmas with you, there's more to come, and no way in hell are you ordering that large a turkey, I'm the only one whose going to be eating any of it!"_

"_O __shush __Bella, __it__'__s __all __for __show, __when __we __take __pictures __of __Christmas __and __one __day __you __show __them __to __your __friends __don__'__t __you __think __it __will __be __a __little __strange __if __they __see __only __you __sitting __at __the __table __with __food __on __your __plate? __Plus __its __tradition__" _Alice had countered.

"_I can understand where you coming from sort of but…"_

"_No __buts, __besides __I__'__m __pumping __money __back __into __the __world, __I__'__m __making __someone__'__s __Christmas __better, __so __everyone __wins__" _Alice had grinned.

Bella had thrown her hands in the air and stomped off to sit next to Edward on the sofa. He wrapped his arm around her as she snuggled into his side and that had been the end of it.

No-one else had tried to calm Alice.

When the first of December had arrived Alice had dished out orders to everyone. The boys were to decorate the garden to Alice's exact specifications. She's even drawn them a diagram of what would go where. Alice was going to decorate the large tree in the living room, the centre piece; she called it, whilst Esme worked on hanging garland and arranging other items Alice had purchased. Bella and myself were decorating each of the bedrooms with something Christmassy.

Bella's room had a 6ft white Christmas tree with blue, pink, red and gold decorations. We'd hung some white lights around her ceiling just to give it more of that Christmas feel. Because Alice had insisted that Bella have decorations in her room, Bella then insisted that we had to have decorations as well. Emmett and I went for a simple black cone shaped pop up tree, decorated with red and silver so it fitted in nicely with our room. Edward had a similar tree to mine and Emmett's, except his was white and decorated with blue accessories. Each of the trees had some fake presents underneath because Alice said it looked more authentic. Bella thought that the presents were real and was avidly shaking them to guess what was inside. I laughed so hard at Bella's pout when I told her they weren't real.

Esme and Carlisle had opted only for a small wreath that they could hang above their bed, which at Alice's request had light in.

Alice however had decided her and Jasper were going all out on the decorations in their room. A white snowball light now hung as a replacement from their ceiling, they had white lights framing their bed and a small animated reindeer lit up in the corner and new bed sheets that matched Alice's festive mood. If it was possible, Jasper would have a heart attack at his wife's antics.

Alice and Esme had decorated downstairs beautifully. With the inside and outside of the house combined it looked like a winter wonderland. You could see the awe written across Bella's face.

The living room now held an enormous pine tree, decorated in gold and white with bright twinkling lights. Around the fireplace was a garland with gold and white baubles and two gold candle sticks placed on the mantle. The rest of the room was decorated in trinkets of matching colours, gold and white flowers, candles even Sox had been given a new gold collar to match.

It was truly magical.

* * *

Bella had broken up from school yesterday and she was very anxious for the arrival of the Denali's. So much so she'd cleaned her room – twice -, sorted through her outfits to look her best and insisted she needed a trip to the hairdressers before they arrived.

Jasper had sent some calming vibes her way and she melted into Edwards arms and fell asleep.

Meanwhile it gave us a chance to wrap some of her presents, as well as others. With a telepath and a psychic in the family, there was no surprising them with gifts, but for the rest of us Christmas was still mystical.

Us girls had gone shopping together as a chance to get away from the boys who similarly had gone elsewhere to do theirs. Esme handled getting all the gifts for the Denali's with the odd bit of help from Alice. With a psychic helping us our shopping was done in next to no time, but from the grin on her face she already knew what she was getting.

She'd even coordinated what colour wrapping paper we should be using.

Damn pixie.

**BPOV**

I was so nervous about the Denali arrival. I kept thinking 'What if they don't like me?' over and over in my head.

I'd cleaned my room top to tail twice in less than 24 hours, arranged all my best outfits that I'd be wearing for the duration of their stay and thrown a fit to Mum about needing to get my hair cut.

I knew I was overreacting and being stupid but I just couldn't keep calm. Finally Jasper relented and sent me a heavy dose of calm that knocked me sound asleep in Edwards's arms. If anything being with Edward always calmed me down, he was so in tune with me. He would sit and help me with my homework, teach me piano, we'd even take walks through the woods together when it was raining. I wasn't scared of going into the woods, not now I had my friendly vampires watching over me.

Other than the nervousness I felt towards the Denali's I was extremely excited for Christmas. I'd managed to get some brilliant presents for everyone, not that Alice would be surprised by hers; no doubt she'd probably seen it, Edward to for that matter. Mum and Alice had got the presents for the Denali's, I'd never met them and had no idea what they'd like so I thought it best to leave it up to them.

Edward had graciously helped me wrap my gifts when I was struggling to wrap a simple box, fingers and thumbs I was. Alice had been adamant that only silver, gold and white could be used for wrapping. Something about it all matching perfectly. I didn't care; it was what was inside that I wanted.

No-one had given me any clues to what I was getting. Id written a list, stuck it on the fridge, but nothing. I couldn't find the hidden stashes of gifts or even a notebook of what everyone was getting. It was so hush hush that I was beginning to think I wasn't getting anything.

The Denali's were arriving tomorrow afternoon, the day before Christmas, that way I could get used to having more vampires around and they could get to know me.

I was just worried they wouldn't like me.

**Rose POV**

The Denali's were due to arrive any minute and Bella was positively bouncing off the walls with nervousness. Even jasper constant flow of calm was doing little to placate her.

Carlisle had gotten a call just under a while ago to say they would be no more than an hour, so Bella had fidgeted with her hair, smoothed out her clothes, brushed her teeth relentlessly until finally Esme had told her to sit and put on a DVD for her. But Bella's focus wasn't on the DVD, her eyes looked towards the screen but her attention was towards the front door, waiting for the sound of a car to pull up and a knock on the door.

"Nobody say anything when you hear cars coming down the drive, I think Bella will have a heart attack" I whispered so only the vampires in the room could hear.

"Bella dear" Esme said "are you sure I can't get you anything to calm your nerves? Maybe a nice hot chocolate?"

"No thanks Mum; I think if I have anything right now I'll be sick"

She had started to look a little queasy.

"Oh Bella you don't need to be this worried, they're just like us and we loved you from the very beginning, they will too" Esme cooed.

I think Bella's anxiety was beginning to rub off on the rest of us, poor Jasper I don't think he could handle it anymore. His leg was bouncing up and down in anticipation, he was projecting.

Bella caught on to what she was doing "Sorry Jazz, I'll try to keep calm".

Slowly the angst in the room dissipated.

"Bella that was amazing, you just managed to control you emotions almost instantly and replace it with calm" Jasper said astounded.

"I dunno, I just thought of a happy memory and I how felt when it happened" she said.

"What memory did you think of?" Esme asked.

"When I beat Emmett at Mario Kart and he got so mad he fell off the back of the sofa" she said with a giggle.

"You did not beat me I let you win!" Emmett boomed and the room burst into giggles. Emmett didn't take losing well, being teased even less so. It was his job to do the teasing.

And then the doorbell rang.

There was silence. Apart from Bella's frantic heart beat.

Carlisle got up from the arm chair and made his way over to the front door. Esme followed behind him.

"Eleazer my old friend how have you been?" Carlisle asked embracing one of his oldest companions.

"We've been well my friend" Eleazer answered moving from Carlisle to embrace Esme, "Esme you grow more radiant each time we meet".

"Oh Eleazer you flirt" she said hugging him back "If I have changed at all it's because of our wondrous new family member"

"Ah yes" Carmen said, stepping in through the door "Isabella, I can't wait to meet her"

"You need not wait any longer" Carlisle said "Let us bring your things inside, and move to the family room with the rest of the family".

A few moments passed while Carlisle and Esme help the Denali coven bring their bags in from the car. No doubt at vampire speed. And in a short time they entered the living room closely followed by Eleazer, Carmen, Kate, Irina and Tanya.

"Eleazer, Carmen I'd like you to meet our daughter Bella" Carlisle said.

**BPOV**

I got up from the sofa and walked over to Dad taking his hand for comfort.

"Well aren't you precious" Carmen said bending slightly to get a better look at me. "My name is Carmen and this is my husband Eleazer"

"Pleased to meet you" I said shyly.

"Oh Carlisle she's adorable" One of the blonde vampires said. "I'm Irina, and this is Tanya and Kate" she said pointing to her sisters. "How are you enjoying living with your new family?"

"I love it, I've got big brothers to look after me and big sisters to go shopping with and a mum and dad who love to cook and look after me, and they bought me a puppy for my birthday" I said with more enthusiasm. My nerves where beginning to diminish.

"Oh aren't you lucky" The one who Irina pointed to as Kate said "I bet you love to shop"

"Yea, it's great. I get to spend loads of money and Alice and Rose help me choose everything that I look good in" I said turning to smile back at Rose and Alice.

"You've got quite a collection growing in your wardrobe already" Rose said.

"Wow just over 3 months living here and a wardrobe that rivals Alice's, you must be loved" Kate said smirking at Alice.

"As good as it is to teach the value of money I can't help but indulge but beautiful little girl" Dad said hugging me to his side.

"I bet you can't Carlisle, you can clearly see she completes your family, I haven't seen you smile so much in years" Eleazer commented.

"Well as you said Eleazer she completes us" Carlisle replied.

Carlisle and Esme helped the Denali's with their bags to the guest rooms. I went and sat back on the sofa next to Rose. The DVD had been turned off and Emmett and Jasper where in a heated racing game battle, Jasper was winning.

Eventually the Denali's came back downstairs and settled into a comfortable existence within the Cullen family lifestyle.

Esme had gone into the kitchen to prepare me some dinner, Carmen had offered to help saying it had been over a hundred years since she had cooked. Carlisle and Eleazer were talking in the dining room about Edwards gift not working on me whilst Emmett, Rose, Edward, Kate, Tanya, Irina and myself sat in the family room with a mixture of talking and watching Emmett and Edward fight on the Xbox.

Tanya had yet to say a word to me but she hung on every word Edward said and would cling to his arm or place a hand on his leg, which he would politely remove every time she did it.

It was actually quite sickening to watch and amusing at the same time.

Her attempts at seduction worked on every other man because of her beauty but Edward was the only one who could read her mind, he was a gentleman and didn't think or want Tanya in that way.

After an eventful few hours and a delicious dinner cooked by Esme and Carmen I bid everyone goodnight and made my way to bed. Edward followed me upstairs and to my room. It had become a bit of a habit that he would stay with me of a night and I would fall asleep to him singing or reading to me. I had to admit I loved that he only put this much attention to me and secretly had a crush on him.

Tanya had been pretty unhappy that Edward had ditched her for me for the evening; I guess she was hoping to make a move on Edward and he would succumb and be all romantic because it was Christmas. Fat chance his was my boyfriend!

"_Oh __Edward __why __don__'__t __I __join __you __upstairs __so __you __don__'__t __get __lonely__" _She had said.

But Edward was ever the gentleman _"__No __Tanya __that __wont __be __necessary, __I __wont __be __alone, __I __spend __the __evening __with __Bella __while __she __sleeps__"_

"_I'm sure she'll be alright on her own for one night wont you Bella, its not as if you haven't got anyone else at your beck and call?"_

"_No Tanya, I stay with Bella, I will not want your company tonight or any other night"_

And that had been that, Edward had ushered me up to my room while I and several other members of the family stifled giggles.

_***Christmas Morning***_

I'd been so excited all night I'd barely slept. My whole body was tingling with anticipation. I wanted to open my eyes but I knew if I did, it would be to early and id been sent back to bed to wait until a reasonable time.

But lying in bed, pretending to be asleep, in a house full of vampires that didn't sleep just wasn't cutting it for me.

Why wait anyway? It's not as if I was going to wake anyone up!

I felt the bed shift next to me and peeked one eye open. I expected to see Edward but instead found Jasper, with a smirk on his face.

"No point trying to hide it we all know you're awake" He said.

Of course they did. I rolled onto my back, huffed, stretched and sat up. "Where's Edward, he's usually here when I wake up?"

"He went to grab a shower and get changed, Alice saw you trying to fight to stay asleep and fail, so she told Edward to go get ready and I'm here to keep you company until he's done" Jasper said.

"Oh ok, is everyone else up?" I said, trying to listen to the movement outside my room.

"Everyone's up, Esme's downstairs cooking you breakfast so you should hop in the shower and get dressed quickly if you want to open your presents, Merry Christmas Bella" he said.

"Merry Christmas Jazz" I replied. I kissed his cheek and jumped out of bed to find a change of clothes and have a shower.

The hot water helped ease away some of the excitement and tiredness I was feeling. Although it could have been Jasper I all fairness. And I got out thoroughly scrubbed and refreshed, ready for an enjoyably long day.

I settled on a pink chequered tunic and some leggings to dress in, I did have another party dress to wear today but that was for the evening, Alice said I had to wait.

I descended the stairs to the smell of bacon and eggs wafting from the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas baby girl" Dad said coming over to hug me.

"Merry Christmas Daddy" I said hugging him back "Is Mum is in the kitchen?"

"Yes, her and Carmen are making you breakfast" he replied.

"Ok, I'll go say hello, then can we open presents?" My excitement peaked when I looked towards the Christmas tree and saw it littered with presents.

"After you've eaten, now hustle" he said lightly pushing me towards the kitchen.

I said a few more 'Merry Christmas's' on my way through the lounge to the Denali's but not to Tanya, I see she hadn't felt it would be nice to break in the festive spirit and get past her hostility towards me.

"Mmm, that smells great" I said as I plopped myself onto one of the stools.

"It was all Carmen's work this morning, I just supervised" Esme said and came over to kiss my cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah just the excitement of presents got to me, this is really good Carmen" I said digging into my breakfast.

"Thank you niña, I had Esme make sure the meat was cooked enough, it's been so long since I cooked" Carmen said.

"Well it tastes great!" I said scooping another mouthful in "What does niña mean?"

"It means baby girl in Spanish, its my native language"

"Your Spanish?" I asked in astonishment. I would never have guessed. But now I could see the little giveaways in her appearance. "That's actually pretty cool, will you teach me?"

"Of course niña I'd be happy to, but right now I think you'd rather open your present".

"Oh my gosh I completely forgot" I said shoving the last forkful into my mouth "Carmen your food is so good it makes me forgetful".

"No Bella that's just you" said another voice.

Edward strolled into the kitchen, freshly showered and hair still damp, looking like a god. "Come on, Alice's level of excitement is rivalling your, I don't think Jasper can take much more"

I climbed onto his back and he walked into the family room where everyone was seated, ready and waiting, to open there gifts. I sat on the floor, between Edward and Sox as Alice dashed around handing everyone their presents.

When she'd finished, I had the largest pile by far, but everyone had loads of presents. Even Sox had a few little presents that I'd have to undo for him.

"Right everyone dig in" Alice bellowed.

And the sounds of ripping and the piles of wrapping paper began to build.

_**A few hours later** _

The unwrapping of all the gifts had taken less than an hour. Including mine and that was without the vampire speed to help.

I'd gotten some really nice gifts. A purple mountain bike courtesy of Rose and Emmett, including a helmet and all the other safety accessories. That did make me chuckle, it wasn't as if I was ever going to fall, not with a load of high-speed vampires to catch me. Alice and Jasper (mainly Alice) had gotten me new iPod and Jasper had gotten me a guitar, promising to teach me how to play it. Edward had given me a unique piece of jewellery.

"_This necklace belonged to my human mother, it's over a hundred years old" he said._

"_Edward it's beautiful, but what if I break it"_

"_You wont besides, its really only for special occasions, like today, you can wear it when we dress up later and put in it your jewellery box for the future" he said._

The necklace was a small bow pendant with a diamond in the centre that held a slightly larger heart encrusted with diamonds that dropped down from it. You could tell it was old and very delicate, but it meant so much that Edward had chosen to give me this. It was simple and elegant and not over the top.

It made me love him that much more.

Mum and Dad had booked a mini vacation in New York before we went back to school for the whole family. We could go to Broadway and see plays or ice skating in Central Park or even go to the Empire State Building. The options were endless and I was really excited. Alice was bouncing up and down, probably because of the shopping possibilities.

The Denali's had given me an assortment of DVD's, books, sweets and clothing, hoping to cover all the good things as they hadn't got to know me before they bought them. I still thanked them profusely and immediately added the DVD's to my fast growing collection.

After an hour or so of calm and playing with new toys, Esme excused herself to check on the Christmas dinner and which Alice insisted that now was the time to get dressed.

I'd chosen a royal blue dress, with a puffy skirt and a bow as one of the straps over my shoulder. My hair was still curly from where it had dried getting out of the shower so I left it and put on my black glittery ballets flats.

I came downstairs half an hour or so later all dressed up, Alice had a camera at the ready and was taking candid shots of everyone, catching them at there almost natural state.

Alice was dressed in gold strapless dress, with sequins in a circular patterns embellished on it and some gold peep toe heels.

She was taking a picture of Emmett and Rose, looking all loved up holding glasses of champagne, that we all knew where just for show. Rose was wearing a red high necked pleat skirt mini dress with red chain and leather belt as well as sequined peep toe heels. Emmett had gone more laid back, as had the rest of the men, choosing to wear dress pants and nice shirt, he was tieless, but I guess that was his casual side shining through.

Carmen was wearing a gorgeous emerald green draped dress and strappy stilettos that matched her Latin blood. She was standing with Eleazer, Carlisle and Esme as they chatted casually in the corner. Esme had chosen her dress on one of our more recent shopping trips, it was a metallic rust coloured silk dress with a draped neckline and belt, she wore it with merlot coloured tights and matching ankle boots.

Kate wore a black, one shoulder fitted dress with an all over ruched detail and a pair of nude heels. She sat happily next to Irina who worse a purple, one shoulder dress with matching purple shoes that had blue feather on the straps, they were to die for. The sisters sat happily talking to Jasper about his experiences in the Civil War.

The only two people missing were Tanya and Edward, Given the things I'd been hearing about Tanya, the pair of them missing was not a good sign.

"Tanya, can you tone down the sex, this is Bella's first Christmas as a Cullen" Edward chastised coming down the stairs "And I guess I need to repeat myself in saying that I have no sexual feelings towards you nor will I ever!" Edward led me towards the sofas.

"Burn" Emmett sneered and Rosalie, Jasper, Alice and I chuckled. Even Kate and Irina had trouble hiding the smirks on their faces.

Apparently that wasn't a big enough hint to Tanya, and she came and sat next to her sisters, "Edward, I know you want me, why play games? Haven't you heard that I'm irresistible, no man has ever denied me!"

"Prepare to be resisted for the first time then. What you just said should be proof alone that I want nothing to do with you. You're a succubus, you lure men in. I was born in a time where a sex wasn't something that was flaunted, your thoughts are vulgar to me, your actions repulsive and your seduction flawed. I couldn't possible think of anyone I would never want to be with more than you!" Edward roared.

Everything was eerily silent, and Tanya stormed up the stairs and slammed the door to her guest room.

"Edward you could have been a little more discreet" Esme chided.

"No Esme, Edwards right in his actions, Tanya needed to hear it, its been a long time coming and she needs to learn she cant have everything she wants" Kate interjected.

"Besides it made for some rather amusing entertainment" Irina giggled.

The Christmas dinner Esme and Carmen had cooked was delicious, even if I was the only one eating it. The vampires put up a good show for the pictures that were being taken though. Alice even managed to get Emmett to put a forkful of Turkey in his mouth.

To anyone on the outside, it would have looked like a normal family gathered together for Christmas; to me it was something much, much more.

The family was wonderful, the Christmas beautiful and the food delicious. But there was still something missing. I missed Charlie and Renee. I still wished that they could have been here for this, but if they had been alive, I wouldn't be with the Cullen's. I would never of met them or got to spend the last few month with them in an almost euphoric state.

I wish they could have been here.

"Bella?"

I looked up from my pretty empty to plate to see Carlisle looking at me.

"Bella, as its Christmas, Esme and I have been thinking that maybe you'd like to go and visit Charlie and Renee's grave and lay a wreath. It's best not to forget them on a day like today, don't you think?"

"I think that would be lovely, let me go grab my coat" I jumped up from my seat and walked towards the door, pausing to kiss Esme and Carmen on their cheeks "The food was really nice, even if I was the only one eating it!"

"Gracias niña, anything for you" Carmen said and Esme smiled.

Carlisle, Esme, Carmen and Eleazer were all waiting for me after I'd gotten my coat.

"We wanted to come and pay our respects to your parents as well Bella, if you don't mind. We can, of course, stay here if you prefer" Eleazer said.

"No your more than welcome, Charlie and Renee would probably love to meet more of my new family" I said.

The 5 of us piled into Carlisle's car, he and Eleazer sat in the front and I sat in between Esme and Carmen. The wreath the had chosen was beautiful, the holly was sprayed gold to match the festive time, leaving the berries shining red. In the centre there was a picture of Charlie, Renee and I. I recognised as the one that was in my room, Esme must of gotten it copied. Billy had taken it on day when we were at the beach in La Push, Renee and I had buried Charlie in the sand despite his protests of being cold.

It was perfect.

We didn't stay at the cemetery long, it was cold and getting dark and Esme didn't want me to catch a cold.

I said hi to my parents, laid the wreath on their grave as Esme cleared away the dead flowers. It had been the first time since the funeral that I'd actually come back to visit them. I felt a little bad that I didn't visit more, but they were always in my thoughts and I knew they were watching over me and everything I did.

I told them about all the things that had happened since they'd been gone, even the stuff about the Cullen's being vampires; it was nice that I didn't have to hide it from them. I told them about the gifts I'd received and how I wished they could have been there. I told them about the trip to New York and how much I missed them. But mostly I just cried, I cried for my loss, I cried at there absence and I cried that I was happy, because I'd found a wonderful family that wanted me, and treated me as one of their own.

When it was time to leave, I pulled myself up off the cold, hard ground and dusted the dirt off my knees. I made a promise to come and visit them again before the New Year and told them how much I loved them.

When we left Carmen and Eleazer said they were staying behind to speak to Charlie and Renee and pay their respects. They would run back home after.

Getting back to the house I finally felt like the day was complete, everything had gone perfectly, and the icing on the cake was visiting Charlie and Renee. So I cuddled into Edward and sat and enjoyed the family banter for the rest of the night.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter **

**The next chapter is gonna skip to when Bella's older, not sure how old yet, but I'll fill in all the gaps you don't read about.**

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**FluffStuff1991**


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